28 BLACK-AND-WHITE BIRDS. 



the air. The wings are broad, and rounded at the 

 ends, whence the heavy, flapping flight that has 

 caused the bird to be called ' lap '-wing. When 

 seen from below, the blunt wings exhibit pure-white 

 under - surf aces, fringed on the outer sides by the 

 black flight -feathers. After the breeding season 

 Lapwings pack and descend in large bands to the 

 ploughed fields and pastures, where they become con- 

 spicuous, especially towards evening, by forming up 

 in a long, flickering line, and wheeling with beauti- 

 fully regular evolutions above the fields. Out of 

 the breeding season Lapwings also frequent estuaries 

 and the seashore in large flocks, their numbers being 

 greatly increased by accession of inland birds at 

 times of frost. These bands break up at the middle 

 of March. The Lapwing is the only British bird 

 with a long, upward-curling crest, except the tiny 

 Crested Titmouse, which is a perching bird. Among 

 the winter bands of Lapwings Golden Plovers are 

 sometimes present, but may be at once distinguished 

 by their sharply pointed wings, rapid wing-stroke, and 

 whistled ' Tlu-ee ! ' 



OYSTER -CATCHER. Plate 15. Length, 16 

 inches. Head, neck, chest, and upper parts black, 

 except lower half of back, which is white ; wings 

 black, broadly banded with white ; tail black, but 

 white at base ; under parts white ; long, straight, red 

 bill ; legs purply-red. Resident. 



Eggs. 3, rarely 4, stone-buff, spotted and scrolled 

 with dark brown, and having some underlying mark- 

 ings gray ; 2'2 x 1-5 inches (plate 122). 



