THE MARITIME DISTRICT 243 



but not in such great numbers as we often see tliem 

 in the valleys of the rivers Arun, Ouse, and Cuck- 

 mere. The artist's picture of the narrow valley of 

 the last-named stream, taken from a point close to 

 Exceat Bridge, on a November evening, shows a 

 large flock of these birds that continued flying near 

 us and passing and repassing over our heads during 

 the whole time he was occupied in making the 

 sketch. 



The peewit breeds in all the downland valleys, and 

 I have often amused myself watching him defending 

 the field where he had his nest against all suspected 

 birds. When the hills are dry in summer the moist 

 green fields and water meadows are attractive to the 

 downland rooks ; but these white-faced crows are hated 

 by the plover, and he will not allow them to feed on 

 the sacred ground where his treasures are. The rook, 

 we know, is an egg-stealer on occasion; the peewit 

 evidently believes that he is always one, and he per- 

 haps knows him better than we do. Still, it is rather 

 hard on the hungry rook ; for it may happen that the 

 meadow or field forbidden to him is precisely the one 

 which he is most anxious to investigate. Hundreds 

 of starlings, those lesser rooks he is accustomed to 

 associate with, may be there, full in sight, feasting on 

 fat grubs ; but no sooner does he come to join them 

 than the jealous peewit is up in arms, and then be- 

 gins that furious persecution which he cannot stand 

 against, and flying from it he is chased and buffeted 



