272 Peewits. 



Peewits or lapwings not onl}' pack in the winter, 

 but may almost be said to pass the nesting-time to- 

 gether. There are two favorite localities in the dis- 

 trict, which has been more particularly described, 

 much frequented by these birds. One is among 

 some water-meadows, where the grass is long earlier 

 in the spring than elsewhere ; there the first bennet 

 pushes up its green staff — country people always 

 note the appearance of the first bennet — and the 

 first cuckoo-flower opens. Several nests are made 

 here on the ground, in comparatively close con- 

 tiguity. 



Upon approaching, the old bird flies up, circles 

 round, and comes so near as almost to be within 

 reach, whistling ' pee-wit, pee-wit,' over your head. 

 He seems to tumble in the air as if wounded and 

 scarcely able to fly ; and those who are not aware 

 of his intention may be tempted to pursue, thinking 

 to catch him. But so soon as you are leaving the 

 nest behind he mounts higher, and wheels ofl" to a 

 distant corner of the field, uttering an ironical ' pee- 

 wit' as he goes. If you neglect his invitation to 

 catch him if you can, and search for the nest or 

 stand still, he gets greatly excited and comes much 

 closer, and in a few minutes is joined b}' his mate, 

 who also circles round ; while several of their friends 

 fly at a safer distance, whistling in S3'mpathy. 



Then you have a good opportunity of observing 

 the peculiar motion of their wings, which seem to 

 strike simply downwards and not also backwards, 

 as with other birds ; it is a quick jerking movement, 

 the wing giving the impression of pausing the tenth 

 of a second at the finish of the stroke before it is 



