152 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



Time during which the Lapwing may be taken.— 



August ist to March ist. 



Habits. — The Lapwing is by far the best known and most 

 widely distributed of the Plovers frequenting the British Islands. 

 It is a resident, but changes its ground a good deal with the 

 season, and in autumn its numbers are largely increased by the 

 arrival of migrants from continental Europe. The haunts of the 

 Lapwing are rough, unenclosed lands, moors, pastures and 

 fallows, commons and heaths, marshes, broads, and saltings. At 

 all seasons it is a shy, wary species, but becomes much tamer than 

 usual during the nesting season, when its great soHcitude for its 

 eggs and young causes it to suspend its habitual caution. The 

 most characteristic feature of the Lapwing is its singularly erratic 

 and prolonged flight. The wings are broad and rounded, and 

 moved in a slow, deliberate, and regular manner. I cannot 

 express this bird's movements more aptly now than I did a dozen 

 years ago in my Rural Bird Life. The moment an intruder 

 appears in their haunts, the watchful Lapwings rise one by one, 

 and with ever-flapping pinions commence to sail about high 

 overhead. Now the birds soar seemingly without effort, then on 

 flapping wings they wheel round and round. Anon they dart 

 rapidly down, as if hurling themselves to the ground, and then, 

 mounting the air again with easy grace, they fly in ever-changing 

 course, darting, wheeling, tumbling, and reeling, as though beating 

 time with their pinions to their wailing and expressive cries. As 

 the cause of their alarm retreats, the birds soon settle again, each 

 bird generally keeping its long wings expanded and elevated for a 

 moment before gracefully folding them. The Lapwing both runs 

 and walkswelljbut it rarelywades. All through the year the Lapwing 

 is to a certain extent gregarious, and usually breeds in more or 

 less scattered colonies. In winter, however, its gatherings are 

 the largest, and during this season immense flocks may often be 

 seen retreating before a coming storm, or shifting their ground 

 from one district to another for a variety of causes. This bird is 

 also very nocturnal, even in summer, and all night long its very 

 peculiar notes may be heard in its haunts. It often becomes 

 particularly noisy and active just after dusk. Flocks of flying 

 Lapwings usually pass through the air in a scattered throng, but 



