THE lAPWISG.J 



SHOOTING, 



[golden ploveb. 



cries when flying, and its motions are full of 

 variety. The female lays four eggs, of a dirty- 

 olive colour, spotted with black, which she 

 deposits in some small indentation in the 

 ground, having previously made a rude nest of 

 a little dry grass and heather. The young 

 brood, as soon as they leave the shell, are 

 capable of using their lim-bs, and the parent 

 bird displays a great deal of tenderness and 

 solicitude over them. 



The Lapwing is found in most parts of 

 Europe, as far northward as Iceland ; and, in 

 the winter, it is met with in Persia and Egypt. 

 Its chief food is worms ; and sometimes flocks 

 of this bird may be seen covering low marshy 

 grounds in search of these, which they draw 

 with great dexterity from their holes. When 

 the bird meets with one of those little clusters 

 of pellets, or rolls of earth, that are thrown 

 out by the perforations of worms, it first gently 

 removes the mould from the mouth of the hole, 

 then strikes the ground at tlie side with its 

 foot, and steadily and attentively waits the 

 issue : the reptile, alarmed by the shock, 

 emerges from its retreat, and is instantly 

 seized. In the evening the birds pursue a 

 different plan. They run along the grass, and 

 feel under their feet the worms, which now 

 come forth, invited by the coolness of the air. 

 Thus they obtain a plentiful meal ; and after- 

 wards wash their bill and feet in the small 

 pools or rivulets. 



"I have seen this bird," says Dr. Latham, 

 "approach a worm-cast, turn it aside, and, 

 after making two or three turns about, by way 

 of giving motion to the ground, the worm came 

 out, and the watchful bird, seizing hold of it, 

 drew it forth." 



The Lapwing remains in England the whole 

 year. The parent exhibits the greatest attach- 

 ment to her young; and the arts she employs 

 to allure boys and dogs from the place where 

 these are running, are extremely amusing. 

 She does not wait the arrival of her enemies 

 at the nest, but boldly pushes out to meet 

 them ; when, as near as she dare venture, she 

 rises from the ground with a loud screaming 

 voice, as if just flushed from hatching, though 

 probably, at the same time, not within a hun- 

 dred yards of her nest. She now flies, and 

 makes a great clamour, and appears extremely 

 disturbed ; whining and screaming round the 

 574! 



invaders, striking at them with her wings, and 

 sometimes fluttering as if she was wounded. 

 To complete the deception, she becomes still 

 more clamorous as she retires from the nest. 

 If very near, she appears altogether uncon- 

 cerned ; and her cries cease in proportion as 

 her fears are augmented. When approached 

 by dogs, she flies heavily, at a little distance 

 before them, as if maimed ; still vociferous, and 

 still bold, but never oflering to move towards 

 the quarter where her young are stationed. 

 The dogs pursue, in expectation, every moment, 

 of seizing the parent, and,' by this means, 

 actually lose the young ; for the cunning bird, 

 having, by her stratagems, drawn them oft' to 

 a proper distance, exerts her powers, and leaves 

 her astonished pursuers to gaze at the rapidity 

 of her flight. 



There are few readers acquainted in any 

 degree with the country, who will not recollect 

 how justly the following lines describe the 

 manners of this bird : — 



" Hence, around the head 



Of wand'ring swains, the white-wing'd plover wheels 

 Her sounding flight ; and then directly on, 

 In long excursion, skims the level lawn. 

 To tempt him from her nest." 



At certain seasons these birds search the 

 dry heather of the downs for insects and grubs ; 

 and, not long after, they are found feeding on 

 shell-fish in the moist and swampy ditches. 

 They are fine eating, and their eggs bear a 

 high price in the market. 



To shoot them with certainty requires con- 

 siderable practice ; but, on the whole, when on 

 the wing, their mode of flight is forourable to 

 the shot telling upon them in vital quarters. 

 No. 4 shot is generally recommended for this 

 bird. 



THE GOLDEN PLOVER. 



This is the Charadrius Fluvialis of Linnasus, 

 and is described as being about seven or eight 

 ounces in weight, and its length about ten 

 inches and a- half. The bill is a httle more 

 than one inch in length, dusky in its hue. 

 The irides are hazel. The general plumage 

 above is dusky, spotted with greenish yellow, 

 brighter on the back and scapulars, and palest 

 on the wing-coverts. The sides, head, and 

 neck of the body are lighter-coloured ; and the 

 middle of the belly and vent are white. The 



