THE STILT-WALKERS. 23 



to a nest which may be at a considerable distance, but tell the probable number of eggs it may 

 contain, generally judging of the situation and number of eggs by the conduct of the female bird. 



When the young are reared, the Lapwings associate in flocks which, at the end of autumn, 

 exchange the higher moorlands for lower ground, and frequent the ploughed fields. When going 

 to a distance, they fly with speed often in an irregular body, but sometimes in lines, alighting in 

 silence after various evolutions. About the middle of March they return to higher ground, again to 

 resume their family duties. 



The Lapwing feeds on worms, insects, slugs, and larvae, and on this account is frequently kept 

 in gardens ; but when thus domesticated, it needs a supply of food, when wintry frosts debar it from 

 its usual diet. 



The two English names of this bird have been derived from its most striking peculiarities, 



the one,- Peewit, from its singular cry, and the other, Lapwing, from the strange, remarkable flapping 



of its wings during flight. 



THE SPUR-WINGED LAPWING. 



The Spur-winged Lapwing (Hoplopterus spinosus) is characterised by a spur-like appendage on 

 its wings, its long legs, three-toed feet, a blunt crest upon the head, and its comparatively pointed 

 wing, in which the second quill exceeds the rest in length. In this species the mantle is greyish 

 brown, part of the head and the under side are black ; the sides of the head, throat, belly, and the nape 

 and region of the wings are all white ; the primary quills and tail-feathers are principally tipped with 

 black, some of the largest feathers on the wing-covers and two entire tail-feathers being white. The 

 saxes are alike in plumage, and do not vary in their tints at any season of the year. 



This bird is very common in Egypt, where it usually occupies the vicinity of water ; nevertheless 

 it entirely avoids the sea-coast, but occasionally sojourns near lakes of brackish water. In the northern 

 portion of Central Africa it is constantly seen, but is rare in Nubia, Eastern Soudan, and Habesch. 

 During the spring and autumn it sometimes wanders as far as Greece, and, according to Lindermayer, 

 is occasionally met with there on the sea-coast. Whether it also breeds in Greece, is at present 

 uncertain. This bird, called " Siksak" by the Arabs, in imitation of its peculiar cry, is sometimes 

 erroneously supposed to be the bird alluded to by Herodotus, as clearing the parasites from the teeth 

 of the crocodile. This mistake has no doubt arisen from the fact that it frequently occupies the 

 sandbanks on which these monsters repose, and is often seen running fearlessly over and about their 

 huge bodies. Like the rest of their brethren, these Lapwings render themselves most obnoxious to 

 the naturalist or sportsman, by the pertinacity with which they warn all their companions of the 

 approach of danger, and by thus constantly annoying him, destroy the impression of pleasure that the 

 grace and ease ot their movements would otherwise excite. Day and night this restlessness continues, 

 and has given rise to a legend among the Arabs that this tormenting little bird received the curse of. 

 perpetual sleeplessness, together with the spur upon its shoulder, as a punishment for former indolent 

 habits. Towards its feathered associates it exhibits the same irritable demeanour, frequently attacking 

 even such as are larger than itself with astonishing boldness, and often inflicting serious damage with 

 its armed wing. Insects, worms, mussels, and sand, are usually found on dissection in its stomach. 

 Its flesh is very unpalatable. The period of incubation commences about the middle of March. In 

 Egypt a moist field is usually selected by a breeding pair, whilst on the Upper Nile sandbanks are 

 preferred. The eggs are smaller than those of the European Lapwing, and are coloured with mixed 

 green, yellow and grey, marked with blackish brown spots, which do not extend over the narrow end. 

 We have found as many as six eggs in one nest, but possibly they were deposited by more than one 

 female. Occasionally we have seen earth strewn on the nest, but whether this was the result of 

 accident or design we could not ascertain. When first hatched the young are covered with greyish 



