86 BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 



summit of a mole-hill is not rarely chosen. The 

 hollow is lined with a few bits of the dry and 

 withered surrounding herbage ; and in many cases 

 even this slight provision is omitted. The four 

 eggs (five have been recorded ! ) very like pears 

 in shape, are buffish-brown or pale olive in ground 

 colour, handsomely blotched and spotted, especially 

 on the larger half, with blackish-brown, paler brown, 

 and gray. If the flesh of the Lapwing is not held 

 in very high repute its eggs make ample amends 

 for the deficiency. Vast numbers are systematically 

 gathered for the table ; and as the birds will replace 

 their stolen eggs again and again, the harvest may 

 be prolonged over several weeks. The first eggs 

 are laid in April ; in more northern localities not 

 before May. In the early days of the Plover egg 

 season, these commodities frequently realise as 

 much as twelve shillings per dozen, and are a source 

 of profit to many a dweller in country districts. 

 Dogs are sometimes trained to search for them. 

 When the young are hatched the Lapwing displays 

 many curious tricks to lure enemies from them, 

 feigning death or broken wings, or swooping with 

 loud cries to and fro. 



TURNSTONE. 



It is rather a remarkable fact that this species, 

 the Strepsilas interpres of naturalists, does not 

 breed in the British Islands. Some naturalists 

 have suspected that it does so on the Hebrides, 



