58 BEITISH BIRDS. 



The Lapwing frequents wild uncultivated districts, moors and the rough 

 pastures near them, unenclosed lands, large pastures and open fallows, 

 commons and heaths. It shows a preference for swampy places; but water 

 is by no means essential to it. A favourite haunt of the Lapwing is on a 

 grassy part of the moor where the ground is studded with rushes, rough 

 and broken up into small mounds and covered with all kinds of weeds. 

 The Lapwing is a shy and wary bird, and takes wing the moment it is 

 alarmed, seldom allowing the observer to approach it very closely unless it 

 has got young, when its anxiety for their welfare overcomes its natural 

 timidity. On the open commons or the wild lonely moors the birds rise 

 here and there from the herbage and fly anxiously about an intruder's 

 head. The flight of this bird is very erratic and peculiar. Its wings are 

 very long and broad and it flaps them in a regular, sedate manner. 

 Now it soars upwards for a few yards, seemingly without effort, then 

 flapping its broad rounded wings it wheels round and round; then it 

 darts rapidly down as if hurling itself to the ground ; and then mounting 

 the air again with easy grace flies in ever-changing course, darting, 

 wheeling, tumbling, and reeling, as though beating time with its pinions 

 to its wailing and expressive cries. As the alarm subsides, the birds gra- 

 dually settle again, keeping their wings expanded for a few moments after 

 they have alighted and then gracefully folding them. Upon the ground the 

 Lapwing is a very stately graceful bird, walking slowly about, or with quick 

 steps bounding forward to catch an insect or seize a tempting worm. At 

 all seasons of the year the Lapwing is more or less gregarious, and in 

 some districts its colonies are very large. When flying from place to place 

 the Lapwings form into a scattered irregular flock, never taking any definite 

 shape, as is done by so many of the other Waders. When feeding, one or 

 two sentinels seem ever on the watch to convey to the rest the signal of 

 approaching danger. 



The Lapwing becomes particularly clamorous at night, and obtains 

 much of its food in the dusk of the evening. At all hours its wild expres- 

 sive call may be heard, as it floats on ever-moving pinions above its 

 favourite haunts. Its common note resembles the syllables pee-weet, or 

 weet-a-weet, pee-weet-weet, from which is derived one of its best-known 

 names. This note is modulated in various ways, especially by the male in 

 the breeding-season. The food of the Lapwing is largely composed of 

 worms, snails, insects, and grubs in summer ; but in winter, especially when 

 hard pressed, it retires to the shore, where it picks up various small marine 

 animals, &c. It also eats small seeds and even tender shoots of herbage. 

 When feeding, it sometimes associates with other birds, such as Rooks, 

 Starlings, Gulls, or other Plovers, but when disturbed the Lapwings 

 generally fly off by themselves. 



Very early in spring the Lapwings leave their winter-quarters and return 



