THE LAPWING. 115 



off their feeding ground by the flowing tide.* To this ground 

 they again regularly return, so soon as it is exposed by the ebbing 

 waters, although invisible from their resting place. That true 

 sea birds have such a faculty is well known to naturalists ; but 

 it is equally strong in the lapwing, — an occasional frequenter only 

 of the sea- shore. 



So early after the breeding season as the 24th of July (1838), a 

 flock has been seen in the bay ; but before September they rarely 

 visit it in large numbers.f They sometimes remain late in spring, 

 as in 1839 and 1840, about fifty having been observed together 

 on the 23rd March in the former, and about as many at that 

 period in the latter year. They sometimes appear in great bodies 

 during autumn, on low rocky islets near the entrance of the bay. 

 Strangford lough is frequented, in the autumn and winter, by 

 large flocks of lapwings, as are also Wexford harbour and other 

 suitable bays. 



" A variety of the lapwing, nearly of a dark mouse- colour, shot 

 among a flock in the county of Kildare," is in the possession of 

 the Eev. Thomas Knox. J 



On looking to the food in the stomachs of ten lap- wings, killed 

 in the winter and spring, it was found to consist of coleopterous 

 and other insects ; larvae and earthworms together with seeds, and 

 other vegetable food. In one were specimens of the subaquatic 

 shell Limneus fossarius. I have known lapwings to be kept 

 some years in gardens (even four or five birds in one garden), 

 during which time they lived wholly on what they could pick up ; 

 no food being ever supplied to them. They must have proved 

 very serviceable by the destruction of injurious insects, &c. Mr. 

 Poole has well remarked that " Among birds useful to the farmer 



* The remark of an excellent observer, Mr. St. John, that the lapwing " is alto- 

 gether a nocturnal bird, so far as regards feeding" (Wild Sports, &c. p. 135), will not 

 apply here. 



t When on the way from Cowes to Southampton, on the 27th August 1841, I 

 observed a large flock of these birds to alight on the fine banks of Zostera marina, 

 just similar to those frequented by them in Belfast bay. 



+ Mag. Nat, Hist. vi. 519. 



I 2 



