4General 
descrip- 
tion. 
224 GRALLATORES. VANELLUS. LApwIne. 
readers to the original work. The plumage of the Lapwing 
is rich, and the colours well contrasted, and it is of very 
sprightly appearance. It runs swiftly, during which it has 
a singular habit of stopping suddenly at intervals, and put- 
ting its bill to the ground, but without picking up any thing, 
apparently to bring its body, as it were, to a proper equi- 
poise. 
Prate $4. represents the male and female in summer plu- 
mage. 
Bill black. Forehead, crown, chin, and gorget, shining 
greenish-black. Occipital crest composed of long slen- 
der black feathers, turning slightly upwards. From 
the corners of the under mandible runs a black streak, 
passing under the eyes to the nape of the neck. Region 
of the eyes, nape, and sides of the neck, pure white. 
Back, scapulars, and tertials, pale glossy olive-green ; 
the latter being tinged with purplish-red. Wing-coverts 
deep olive-green, glossed with blue and purplish red. 
Wings much rounded ; the quills black, with the tips of 
the first four dirty white. Lower part of the back 
clove-brown, glossed with green. Upper tail coverts 
orange-brown ; the lower ones paler. Tail having the 
basal half of the feathers white; the rest black, with 
white tips; except the outermost feather, which is en- 
tirely white. Belly and abdomen pure white. Legs 
brownish-purple red. 
In winter the throat and chin are white; the feathers of 
the upper part of the plumage margined with reddish- 
white, and with less of the gloss, and reddish-purple 
tints. ‘The young have the occipital crest very short ; 
the face and neck white, speckled with brown; and the 
feathers of the back and scapulars more deeply mar- 
gined with pale ochreous yellow. Legs and toes grey, 
with a pink tinge. 
