VANELLUS 749 



VANELLUS, Briss., 1760. 



1042. THE LAPWING. 

 VANELLUS VULGARIS. 



Vanellus vulgaris, Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. ii. p. 313 (1803) ; Dresser, vii. 

 p. 545, pi. 531 ; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 230 ; Saunders, 

 p. 555 ; Lilford, v. p. 43, pi. 16 ; Pointing, p. 63, pi. 16 ; 1 V. 

 capella, Schaeff. Mus. Orn. p. 49 (1789) ; Tringa vanellus, Linn. 

 Syst. Nat. i. p. 248 (1766) ; (Naum.), vii. p. 269, Taf. 179 ; (Sharpe), 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxiv. p. 166 ; (Ridgway), p. 172 ; V. cristatus, 

 Wolf and Meyer, Hist. Nat. Ois. de 1'Allem. p. 110 (1805) ; Gould, 

 B. of E. iv. p. 291 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. iv. pi. 33 ; Hewitson, ii. 

 p. 301, pi. Ixviii. ; Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp. p. 312 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 

 0. p. 838. 



Vanneau dixhuit, French ; Abibe, Abecuinha, Portug. ; Ave 

 fria, Span. ; Pavoncella comune, Ital. ; Kiebitz, German ; Kiemt y 

 Dutch ; Vibe, Dan. and Norweg. .; Tofsvipa, Swed. ; Hyyppci, 

 Finn. ; Pigolitza, Chilis, Russ. ; Tagere, Jap. 



cJ ad. (England). Forehead, crown, fore throat and upper breast 

 velvety black ; nape, sides of neck and face and under parts white ; on 

 the hind crown a long curved crest ; upper parts metallic green tinged 

 with purple ; quills -purplish black ; wing-coverts violet- purple ; upper 

 and under tail-coverts rust-red ; tail white on the basal, and black on the 

 terminal half, the outer feathers nearly all white ; bill black ; legs 

 brownish red ; iris dark brown. Culmen 1 '15, wing 8'8, tail 1*45, tarsus 

 1-8 inch. Female duller with a shorter crest. In winter both sexes have 

 the throat white, the breast-feathers tipped with white and those on the 

 upper parts slightly buff-tipped. The young bird resembles the above 

 winter dress, but has the sides of head and nape washed with buff, the 

 pectoral band small, and the feathers on the upper parts edged with buff. 



Hob. The whole of Europe, north to the Arctic Circle; 

 wintering in Southern Europe and North Africa ; Canaries ; 

 Madeira, rare in the Azores; Asia Minor and Asia east to 

 Japan, north to Dauria ; South China and N.W. India in 

 winter. 



Inhabits the lowlands, plains, and moors except when breed- 

 ing, in preference damp localities, and is shy and wary ; when 

 disturbed, especially when breeding, it flies overhead, swooping 

 and casting itself about uttering its wailing cry, pee-wit, pee-wit. 

 It feeds on worms and insects of various kinds. It begins to 

 breed late in March or early in April, its nest being a mere 

 depression in the soil, scantily lined with grass. The eggs, 4 in 



