60 BIRDS OF THE PLAINS 



field-glasses, but saw no trace of a lapwing. I began to 

 think I had made a mistake. After a time we walked 

 on towards the canal ; when we had gone some three 

 hundred yards my wife noticed a bird on a ridge by the 

 canal. By the aid of glasses I saw it was a Did-he- 

 do-it. We both dropped down and watched. The bird 

 had " spotted " us, for he had assumed the air of an old 

 sailor who is smoking a pipe over a mug of beer, the air 

 of a man without a care in the world. Presently he 

 quietly disappeared behind the little ridge. We then 

 made a big detour so as to reach the other side of this. 

 Having arrived there we sat behind a tree. The lap- 

 wing was now eyeing us suspiciously. We affected to 

 take no notice of him. Presently a second Did-he-do-it 

 came out from behind a clump of low plants only to 

 disappear into it almost immediately, and then ostenta- 

 tiously reappear after a few seconds. Had we not 

 known the wiles of the lapwing we should have located 

 the nest behind that clump. But we knew better and 

 waited. One of the birds again disappeared behind the 

 clump, but emerged at the other side and strolled along 

 very slowly ; presently it came to some stones, where it 

 stood motionless for a few seconds. It then sat down, 

 or rather slowly sank into a sitting position. There 

 was no doubt that the bird was now on the nest. We 

 made for it. As we approached, the bird that was not 

 on the nest flew off, making a noise with the object of 

 putting us off the scent. The lapwing on the nest 

 quietly got up and strolled off without a sound. On 

 arriving at the place where she had been sitting we 

 found three eggs. I took one of them for a lady who was 



