PLOVERS, DOTTEREL, LAPWINGS. 495 



marshes or streams, under cover of the herbage. The common 

 English name plover^ seems to be a corruption of the French 

 pluvier, or Rain-Bird ; its activity being the greatest when the 

 weather is damp. The Dotterel is a smaller species, which 

 breeds in colder latitudes than ours, and winters in warmer, 

 passing over Britain in large flocks, in its spring and autumn 

 migrations. It occasionally breeds on the mountains of the 

 northern parts of our island. The Dotterel has been accused of 

 excessive stupidity, and its name has even become proverbial on 

 this account, in the parts of Britain where it is best known ; 

 there appears no other reason for this, however, than, that being 

 fresh from wilds untrodden by Man, and not having experienced 

 persecution, it does not so readily take alarm, as do Birds that 

 have lived in nearer neighbourhoods to their great enemy. The 

 Grey Plover is another species which visits our island in its 

 migrations. Its summer residence and breeding place is within 

 the arctic regions ; but it retires to the countries of Central and 

 Southern Europe, to pass the winter. Another species of Plover 

 is found in the northern and temperate parts of Asia and North 

 America. 



446. The Lapwings are nearly allied to the Plover ; but 

 they have the hind-toe more developed ; and the head is orna- 

 mented either with a crest, or with fleshy wattles and protube- 

 rances about the base of the beak. They frequent open grounds 

 and plains, especially where the soil is moist ; and they feed on 

 insects, worms, larvae, &c. The name is derived from the arti- 

 fices employed by the Parent-Birds to decoy away intruders 

 from their nests ; for they will place themselves almost within 

 reach of their enemies, feigning lameness, and fluttering and 

 tumbling in the path before them, until they have drawn them 

 to a sufficient distance ; after which they will take wing and 

 escape. The Lapwing, or Peewit (so called from its note), of 

 this country is a very beautiful Bird / and has an elegant crest 

 of long slender black feathers arising from its head. Between 

 the spring and autumn, it frequents moorland tracts in various 

 parts of Britain ; but as winter approaches, it assembles in vast 

 flocks, which betake themselves to the districts near the sea and 



