WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 307 



must afford much more food. Had it been otherwise, 

 all the partridges in the neighbourhood would have 

 gathered together here ; but there never seemed more 

 than one or two coveys about. 



The peewits had nests year after year in this place, 

 and even when the nesting-time was over a few might 

 often be seen. The land for agricultural purposes was 

 almost valueless, there being so little herbage upon 

 which cattle could graze, and no possibility of mowing 

 any ; so in the end gangs of labourers were set to 

 work, and the ant-hills levelled, and, indeed, bodily 

 removed. Thus this last piece of waste land was 

 brought into use. 



Upon the downs there is a place haunted by some 

 few peewits. In the colder months they assemble in 

 flocks, and visit the arable land where it is of a poor 

 character, or where there are signs of peat in the soil. 

 By the shores of the lake they may, too, be often seen. 

 I have counted sixty in one flock, and have seen flocks 

 so numerous as to be unable to count them accurately. 

 That, of course, was exceptional, but they are by no 

 means uncommon birds in this district. In others it 

 seems quite a rare thing to see a lapwing. 



They often appear to fly for a length of time to- 

 gether for the mere pleasure of flying. They rise 

 without the slightest cause of alarm, and sail about 

 to and fro over the same field for half an hour, then 

 settle and feed again, and presently take wing and 

 repeat the whirling about overhead. Solitary peewits 

 will do the same thing ; you would imagine they were 



