46 PEEWIT. 



the dog to drink out of, and while he was thus employed 

 he shewed marks of the greatest indignation if either of 

 his companions presumed to interrupt him.' They are restless, 

 watchful, and shy birds, and rarely approach houses, or even 

 the vicinity of trees, preferring wide and open places. Even 

 when roosting in the middle of the day, some sentinels are 

 on the look out to give timely notice to the flock of any 

 approaching danger. 



'The Lapwing,' says Mr. Conway, will fly round and round, 

 tumbling and tossing in the air, and at the same time 

 making the country resound with the echoes of its endless 

 'pee- wit!' and thus lead the intruder farther and farther from 

 its nest.' Its gyrations on these occasions are such as 

 must strike the most inattentive passer-by, and the thoughtful 

 mind will watch them with pleasing admiration. It is the 

 male bird that is most clamorous on these occasions; the 

 female on being disturbed runs first from the eggs or young, 

 and then flies a little way, near the ground and in silence. 



The flight of the Lapwing is indicated by this, one of its 

 vernacular names derived from it, a rather slow flapping of 

 the wings. It seems at one and the same time both laboured 

 and light, and is seen to advantage when the bird is chasing 

 some prowling crow who has come too near. In dashing 

 and whirling about in the air, when you by chance approach 

 the spot where its young or eggs are located, it frequently 

 makes a rushing sound with its wings, which really at times 

 bears a striking resemblance to the puffing of the engine of 

 a railway-train, heard at some distance, or against the wind. 

 Before taking wing it stretches the head out, and previous 

 to alighting skims along the ground. 



In Scotland it is said to be considered as an unlucky bird, 

 owing to its having formerly been the means, by hovering 

 about the fleeing Covenanters who chanced to disturb it, of 

 guiding their pursuers to them. On the other hand, it is 

 related that the founder of the family of Tyrwhitt of Lin- 

 colnshire, was saved by his followers being thus directed to 

 him where he lay wounded after a skirmish. 'It runs swiftly, 

 in a horizontal position, with the head downwards; during 

 which it has a singular habit of stopping suddenly at intervals, 

 and putting its bill to the ground, but without picking up 

 anything, apparently to bring its body, as it were, to a 

 proper equilibrium.' On first alighting, the wings are stretched 

 up on each side before being settled in their attitude of rest. 



