484 CHARADRIID.E. 



lowers, who were directed to the spot where he lay by the 

 cries of these birds, and their hovering over him. The 

 notice, however, so frequently given by these birds was 

 sometimes productive of very different consequences. Mr. 

 Chatto, in his agreeable " Rambles in Northumberland and 

 the Scottish Border," refers to " the persecution to which 

 the Covenanters were exposed in the reign of Charles the 

 Second and his bigoted successor ; " and quoting Dr. Ley- 

 den, alludes to the tradition that u they were frequently 

 discovered to their pursuers by the flight and screaming of 

 the Lapwing ; in consequence of which the Lapwing is 

 still regarded as an unlucky bird in the south of Scot- 

 land." 



In the autumn they collect in flocks, and from that time 

 till the end of winter are excellent birds for the table. 



The Peewit is common and indigenous to Ireland, and is 

 abundant in suitable localities throughout the British 

 Islands to the most remote of the Shetlands. It is found 

 in Denmark ; M. Nilsson says it is plentiful in Sweden 

 and in Scandinavia generally ; it goes to the Faroe Islands, 

 and even to Iceland. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, says 

 it is frequent in Russia, and southward over the European 

 continent it is found as far as Spain, Provence, and Italy. 

 It inhabits Egypt : Mr. Strickland found it at Smyrna ; 

 the Zoological Society have received specimens from Erze- 

 room ; and the Russian naturalists found it on the plains 

 between the Black and the Caspian Seas. It may be traced 

 from thence to Astrachan, and to the vicinity of Lake 

 Baikal. Mr. Blyth has obtained it at Calcutta ; Mr. Selby 

 mentions having seen examples from China which did not 

 differ from our English specimens ; and M. Temminck in- 

 cludes it among his Birds of Japan. 



The beak is black ; the irides hazel ; forehead, crown, 



