THE LAPWING. Ill 



On the 15th April, 1847, I was reminded, in an interesting man- 

 ner, of the earlier breeding time of the lapwing than of the golden 

 plover, when visiting the same locality. The former were all 

 paired, and going through the evolutions on wing peculiar to the 

 season, while the golden plover which make their congener's 

 summer abode their winter one, had not yet left it, a flock of 

 about thirty being on the ground. The lapwings looked upon 

 the others as intruders, and one bird boldly swept down to buffet 

 the flock, among which it alighted and chased several individuals, 

 until the whole body took flight to a little distance. 



As remarked to me, " Mr. Hewitson, in his beautiful work on 

 the Eggs of British Birds (p. 261), does not distinguish between 

 the manoeuvres of the male and female lapwing in the breeding 

 season, but speaks generally of the species whirling about to lead 

 one from its nest. It is the male bird (as correctly stated by Mr. 

 Selby) that first endeavours to divert attention from the nest, 

 until the female can steal away from it unperceived."* The hollow 

 bumping noise, probably produced in the throat, which the male 

 makes when arriving within a few yards of our head, is considered 

 by Mr. Poole to be " evidently intended for menace." As well 

 observed by that gentleman, " The lapwing seems to experience 

 great difficulty in rising to a height in the air suddenly when 

 disturbed, and therefore finds it necessary to take several rings 

 before getting out of shot." 



The evolutions of the lapwing in its breeding haunts are various 

 and extremely interesting to witness. It may be said to keep a 

 " drumming" noise as well as the snipe, though not to the same 

 extent ; and I have remarked that this may sometimes be heard both 

 when the bird is ascending and descending in its flight. The sound 

 seems to arise from a peculiar, though to the eye not very marked, 

 motion of the wings, which beat the air with more than ordinary 

 force when it is produced. t The motionless attitude in the air, 



* Mr. J. K. Garrett. 



f Mr. Selby observes that " tbese movements are attended by a loud hissing 

 noise of the wings, arising from the rapid motion, aided by their peculiar form, which 

 offers a broken resistance to the air," (vol. ii. p. 222). 



