BIRDS OF THE HUMBEE DISTRICT. 95 



Plover differs from the Golden Plover in the follow- 

 ing respects. They leave the district, on the average, 

 seven to eight weeks later in the spring than their 

 congeners, and return fully two months earlier. They 

 are much later in assuming the summer plumage, and 

 retain it longer in the autumn than does the Golden 

 Plover. They are strictly a marine bird, their 

 favourite haunts being the sea-coast and the muddy 

 shores of large tidal rivers, their presence inland being 

 quite exceptional. With the Golden Plover the reverse 

 is the case ; we rarely, and then only very early in the 

 season, when the land is dry and hard, see them on 

 the flats. On the wing, when in small parties, they fly 

 in line one behind the other, in larger flocks " all in 

 a lump." The Golden Plover, as a rule, advance in 

 long extended lines, often using the arrow-head for- 

 mation. 



150. VANELLTJS CRISTATUS, Meyer. Lapwing. 



Provincial. Peewit, Pyewipe, Green Plover. 



Resident throughout the year, and extremely nu- 

 merous; nests annually in our marshes; and the 

 number of our resident birds has certainly increased 

 largely during the last ten years *. 



The Lapwing is eminently gregarious, only break - 



* In the 'Zoologist' for 1864, p. 9092, Dr. Saxby writes that 

 some thirty, years ago Lapwings were very uncommon in Unst, 

 and also in other parts of Shetland ; now, however, there are 

 whole colonies of them in various parts. 



