rilAUADUIIDvK — THK I'LoVKRS — VANELLUS. 



131 



"iLiitfr coverts. Ui-iiiim's thill black, the inils of the outer three jiriiimrieg, for un inch or more, 

 (lull liKht cinereous, the 8hut't» white. Uunip like tlie buck, but le** nietuilic. ; upper tuil-coverts 

 ili'i'p rui'ous. liasal iiiili'iinil to|i of the tail piiie wliite ; sul)l<'ruiiutil poiilDii <lull liljiik, liiis culor 

 iliiii'iisinn in extent to tlie tiuter fealiiers, liualiy nearly or ipiite disaiiiieariii^- on the lateriil pair, 

 iiiiwer parts in general pure white, becoinin}; li^ht rufous on tlie lower tuil-coverts. Winter jilti- 

 iinuii : Similar, but with anteriir half of hires, liroad supeniliary stripe, chin, ami entire thmat, 

 white ; while of sides of na|ie and oe(i|put mori! or le>s tin^ecl with bull'. Hill lilackish ; iris 

 brown ; le^s and feet didl crimson or lake-reil (iirownish in winti'r). 



Ihvnij ijoiiiiii : Top and sides of the head, ancl entire upper parts, dull Il;,'ht brownish gray 

 mottleil with iilaek, the shoulders tln^'ed with li;^iil rusty, ami the rump with huge spots of deep 

 black. Whole nape, chin, ihioat, and entire lower parts (e.xcept ju^'idum), white, the first tin{,'ed 

 with li;^hl ashy ; Ju^;ulum nearly uniform dusky grayish (.')(i8,s.j, Sa.xony). 



Wing, ».5()-!),(K) ; tall, -1.00-4.25 ; cuhnen, 1.00 ; tarsu.s, •2.W ; middle toe, 1.00-1.10. 



Tiu' wt'U-kiiow'ii Liipwiiif,' of Europe i.s oiui of tlu' uuist comiuoii and familiar of 

 the birds of the wesU-ni ptutious of that coiitiiu'tit. Its occasional presence in (Jreen- 

 liiml and other parts of North America gives it a place annyng our rare and accidental 

 visitants. It is common ami indigenous to Irelaml and tin' IJritish Islaiuls, ami is 

 iihumlant, in all suitable localities, as far as the most remote d' the Shetlaml group, 

 it is common in Denmark, ami is e([ually abumlant throughout Norway and Sweden; 

 also occurring on the Farcie Islamls ami in Icelaml, ami being common througlumt 

 the Emitire of Ivussia. It is fouml in less abundam-e in France, Spain, Italy, Egypt, 

 and Asia .Minor, ami has been taken on the plains between the IJlack and the Cas- 

 pian seas. Specimens have also been received from India ami Chimi ; ami Tem- 

 minck includes it among the birds of Japan. In some of its general habits the 

 Lii})wing appears to be similar to the Kildecr of our owji (!ountry. It is known to 

 many as the Lapwing, both from its peculiar slow flapping of the wings as it flies, 

 and the singular maimer in which it droops its wings, in affected lameness, wlieji its 

 nest is in danger. It is also called the I'eewit, from its fre(piently repeated note, 

 closely resembling the word jh'e-vcet. liy the French this note is thought to resemble 

 the word dije-hutf, and the bird is known to them by this name. 



The habits of this species are those of a true I'lover. It frequtMits marshy grounds 

 or the margins of lakes and rivers, wild heaths, and open, uninclosed country. In 

 such localities these birds are very common in Great Britain, and breed la large 

 numbers. Their eggs are regitrded as a luxury, and are much sought after in all the 

 districts where this species is common. 



When its nest is disturbed, the female runs from the eggs and flies near the 

 ground, but makes no noise. The males, however, are very clamorous, fly about the 

 intruder, and endeavor by various instinctive manoeuvres to draw off his attention 

 from their treasures. 



In some of the English counties all the most likely grounds are carefully searched 

 once every day, in the season for eggs, by women and children, as well as by dogs 

 trained for the imriiose. Yarrell states that in 1839 two hundred dozen of these 

 eggs were sent to the London market from Komney Marsh alone. 



The nests of the Lapwing, like those of the whole family of Plovers, are mere 

 depressions in the ground, with a few dried bents lining the bottom. The number 

 of eggs is four, and these have an average of 1.93 inches in length by 1.34 inches 

 ill breadth. Their color is dark olive, blotched and spotted with blackish broAvn. 



The young Lapwings, just hatched, are covered with a yellowish fawn-colored 

 down spotted with brownish black, and there is a light-colored collar around the 

 neck. They can run almost as soon as hatched, following the parent bird, who 



