276 NOVEMBER 



Britain are bred far to the north. The northern 

 limit of lapwings in Britain passes just north of the 

 Moray Firth; there are none in Caithness in De- 

 cember. It follows from this that no amount of 

 egg-taking would affect the winter stock of lapwings 

 in Britain. Moreover, the eggs taken are chiefly 

 those of the first nest, generally laid on fallow or 

 ploughed land, which the ordinary operations of 

 sowing, harrowing, and rolling would destroy. The 

 later eggs, laid among springing corn and grass, are 

 pretty safe from wholesale molestation. But where 

 County Councils might usefully interfere is to pre- 

 vent the destruction of the birds themselves. Each 

 year an increasing number of lapwings are exposed 

 for sale in second and third-rate London poulterers' 

 shops, no doubt to be palmed off on the customers 

 of certain restaurants as golden plover. Though 

 not absolutely unpalatable, they are very inferior to 

 that succulent little bird, and it is easy to dis- 

 tinguish between them even without tasting, for 

 whereas the lapwing has four toes, one behind, the 

 golden plover has only three, all in front. It is 

 unpardonable greed to devour both parents and 

 eggs ; we don't treat any other wild birds so vora- 

 ciously ; why should the lapwing be singled out for 



