108 WILD BIRD PROTECTION 



peewits in one field near Glasgow. Supposing each of 

 these took only a brace of grubs or slugs as a light 

 breakfast, who can estimate the value of their services ? 

 When they have depopulated the arable lands these 

 birds resort to the shore at low tide, where, if their 

 pursuits are not directly beneficial, they are at least 

 absolutely innocuous. 



Besides its usefulness as a vermin catcher, the lapwing 

 earns our gratitude by the abundant supply of delicious 

 eggs which find their way to the market each spring. 

 Game preservers may be heard grumbling sometimes 

 because country folk are diligent in collecting plovers' 

 eggs. It is an unhandsome complaint; one ought rather 

 to be glad that so many are able to make a little profit 

 out of a harmless industry, and vary the monotony of 

 their lives by an agreeable pursuit. Nothing tends to 

 make the game laws more unpopular than a churlish 

 grudge against certain occupations, such as collecting 

 plovers' eggs and mushrooms, on the ground that dis- 

 honest people 'may take an unfair advantage if game 

 or their eggs happen to lie in their way. 



A third reason why the lapwing ought to be treated 

 with special favour may be thought a sentimental one. 

 It is an exceedingly beautiful and graceful bird how 

 beautiful, its abundance is apt to make one forget. But 

 its glossy olive-green upper parts, shot with purple and 

 steel-blue on the scapulars and wing coverts, contrast 

 so brilliantly with the pure white breast and belly, and 

 harmonise so well with the rufous tail coverts, as to 

 make the peewit one of the chief ornaments of the 



