654 The Zoologist— April, 18G7. 



fortune (which of itself was excellent good and very great) was 

 altogether blemished and obscured by Caesar's fortune ; and therefore 

 he counselled him utterly to leave his company, and to get him as 

 farre from him as he coulde. Howsoever it was, the event ensuing 

 proved the Egyptian's words true : for it is said that as often as they 

 drew lots for pastime, who should have anything ; or whether they played 

 at dice, Antonius always lost. Oftentimes when they were disposed to 

 see cock fight or quails that were taught to fight one with another, 

 Caesars cocks or quails did ever overcome. The which spited 

 Antonius in his mind, although he made no outward show of it, and 

 therefore he believed the Egyptian the better. In fine he recom- 

 mended the affaires of his house unto Caesar and went out of Italy 

 with Octavia his wife, whom he carried to Greece, after he had had a 

 daughter by her." (See North's Plutarch). 



Lapwing (Vanellus crisialus). 



The lapwing, like the partridge and some other birds, has a curious 

 habit of trying to draw intruders away from the nest or young, by 

 fluttering along the ground in an opposite direction, or by feigning 

 lameness, or uttering raelaucholy cries at a distance. 



"Far from ber nest the lupiving cries away." 



Comedy of Errors, Act iv. Scene 2. 



Allusions to this habit of the lapwing are not uufrcquent in our old 

 poets. We read in Lily's ' Campaspe,' 1584 : 



" You resemble tbc lapwing who crietb most where her nest is not." 



So also Greene, in his second part of ' Coney Catching,' 1592 : 



" But again to our priggers, who, as before 

 I said cry with the lapwing farthest from her nest." 



And in Ben Jonson's c Underwoods : ' 



" Where he that knows will lilce a lapwing flie, 

 Farre from the nest and so himselfe belie." 



Hence the'phrase " to seem the lapwing," which occurs in 'Measure 

 for Measure.' Act i. Scene 5. So in ' Much Ado About Nothing :' 



" For look where Beatrice, like a lapwing runs, 

 Close by the ground to hear our conference.'' 



Act iii. Scene 1. 



