THE LAPWING. 307 



irridescent, and giving a play of colours, for some of 

 which you cannot find any adequate name. Some of 

 them one would feel disposed to call bronze, and others 

 green ; but while they put one in mind of those colours, 

 they retain the depth of the most intense black. The 

 back is of an irridescent green, alternating, as most 

 greens in the colours of animals do, with burnished 

 gold, it is composed of very minute dots of intense 

 blue and golden yellow. The sides of the neck, the 

 belly, and the bases of the tail, are of the most brilliant 

 white. The principal feathers of the tail are white, 

 with black tips; the tail-covers and vent are of a russet 

 or rusty colour. The principal wing quills are black, 

 with a white spot on the tip of each of the first four ; 

 and the second ones are white for half their length from 

 the root, and black for the other half. There is a 

 great deal of harmony, both in the arrangement and 

 proportion of the different colours ; and altogether, the 

 bird is certainly a beauty. Though of considerable 

 expanse, and powerful wings, it is but a light bird, 

 seldom weighing more than eight ounces. 



The wailing cry from which the lapwing has got 

 the English name of " Peewit," is the alarm cry in 

 danger, and is habitually uttered by the female when 

 endeavouring to decoy invaders away from her nest. 

 The male also utters this cry when disturbed. He 

 has another, however, a sort of love- song, which he 

 carols to his mate ; but only when he is unobserved. 

 That note is a kind of whistle, but very subdued and 

 soft. 



They repair to the moors in the spring ; and there 

 is often a good deal of rivalship and fighting among 



