464 CLASS AVES. 



throusrh the marshes in isolated families, unite, and form bands 

 of live or six hmidred individuals, preparatory to their depar- 

 ture from France in the month of October ; in that month 

 these birds are very fat, because their aliment is more abundant, 

 and can be obtained with greater facility. According to 

 Olina, the lapwing remains all the winter in Italy. 



The flesh of this bird is in estimation, though generally 

 speaking, it is lean and dry. Some persons have succeeded 

 in rearing them in a state of domestication, feeding them with 

 beef's heart, cut into filaments. The eggs are said to have a 

 delicious flavour. 



The lapwing not only feeds on worms, but also on spiders, 

 caterpillars, small snails, and insects of every kind, so that it 

 renders a real service to agriculture by clearing the ground 

 of a number of pernicious little animals. 



This species of lapwing is extended throughout the whole 

 of Europe. It is found in Kamtschatka, where the month of 

 October is called the month of lapwings : this is the time of 

 their departure from that country. Pallas has met with 

 them throughout a considerable portion of the North of Asia. 

 Sonnini has seen them in the marshy parts of Egypt.; and 

 other travellers have met with them in China, and in the 

 different provinces of Persia. 



Among the foreign lapwings wortliy of notice is the Vanel- 

 lus Caya)iensis. Parra of Linnauis, Cayenne Sandpiper of 

 Latham. This lapwing approaches to that of Europe in the 

 tone and mass of its colours, and in its size and tuft ; but it 

 stands higher, and is armed with a spur at the fold of the 

 wing. The names of temtero, or teteu, under wliich M. 

 d'Azara has described this lapwing, express the cries which 

 it frequently i-epeats with a loud voice, and which are sufli- 

 cientlv troublesome and sharp ; it also sends forth the same 

 cries dui'ing the night, if it hear any noise. This is the aqna- 

 peaxo terutero, or teteu, of d'Azara ; tlic first name is that 



