BIRDS 
Eden, but well established all round our shores. 
On a sunny morning towards the end of 
March the male may often be seen pursuing 
his coy partner, which at first makes a show 
of eluding his pressing attentions by running 
in a contrary direction ; but, when hotly pur- 
sued, generally rises on the wing and takes a 
short flight, closely followed by her ardent 
suitor. 
190. Golden Plover. 
Linn. 
A common resident, which constantly de- 
lights the visitor in our eastern fells by its 
plaintive whistle. It breeds in small numbers 
among the mountains of the Lake district 
proper, and a very few pairs nest upon suitable 
mosses in the vicinity of the Solway Firth. 
It is an early breeding bird, and the young 
often hatch as early as the middle of May, 
though in the Hebrides I have seen them 
chipping the shell late in July. But with us 
the majority of the young birds are strong on 
the wing by the middle of the latter month, 
when they often assemble upon the sands of 
the Solway Firth in very large numbers. It 
is exceedingly interesting to watch the move- 
ments of the birds through a good telescope. 
One bird may be seen to occupy a position of 
rest, its feathers hanging loosely around its 
body (instead of being tightly compressed, as 
taxidermists suppose); a second, with per- 
chance a few black feathers yet lingering on 
the breast, stretches its wings above the back, 
while its next neighbour busies itself in preen- 
ing its plumage; another trips across the 
gently undulating sands, now pecking at a tiny 
shell, now stopping in its course to shake up 
its feathers. A little stream of fresh water 
attracts a newcomer; it plunges into the 
creek, ducks its head, scratches the side of its 
head with the right foot, stoops to duck again 
and again, flaps its wings—displaying for a 
moment its white auxiliaries—and then falls 
to dressing its dripping feathers, while its mates 
send their mellow call-note speeding along the 
winding foreshore. 
Charadrius pluvialis, 
191. Grey Plover. Sguatarola helvetica (Linn.). 
Locally, Silver Plover. 
An autumn and winter visitant, occasionally 
obtained in the interior of the county, but 
chiefly observed upon the shores and marshes 
of the Solway Firth. Immature birds begin 
to arrive in August, but are most numerous 
during October, a month during which this 
bird is fairly constant in frequenting the mus- 
sel scaurs exposed by the tide. I have occa- 
sionally handled adults in full winter dress, 
and on a few occasions have received others 
shot in September, which still retained the 
nuptial livery in almost perfect condition. I 
once purchased an adult with a fine black 
breast, which had been killed near Silloth in 
May, and have seen birds in full breeding 
dress from May to July ; but these last were 
always excessively wild and difficult to ap- 
proach. 
192. Lapwing or Peewit. Vanellus vulgaris, 
Bechstein. 
Locally, Green Plover, Teufit, Peesweep. 
The peewit is happily one of our most 
numerous birds, nesting freely in all suitable 
districts of the county, from high fell-side 
farms to the salt marshes of the coast. It be- 
gins to lay in March, and breeds irregularly 
all the summer, so that the number reared 
within our limits must be very considerable. 
It is almost bewildering to watch the figures 
formed by large masses of these birds, and to 
see them crossing and re-crossing the field of 
a telescope. The precision with which large 
numbers of birds suddenly disengage them- 
selves from a main party, wheel around, and 
again reunite with the first, or travel in a 
wedge through the centre of the chief phalanx 
which opens to allow them to pass through, 
is truly astonishing. 
193. Turnstone. Strepsilas interpres (Linn.). 
A common autumn and winter visitant to 
the coast of Cumberland. In August we meet 
with a few individuals which are changing 
from the bright plumage of the breeding season 
into the more sombre attire of winter ; in fact, 
we find that all the various changes of plum- 
age can be obtained on the foreshores. 
194. Oyster-Catcher. Hematopus ostralegus, 
Linn. 
Locally, Sea~Pyat, Mussel-Pecker, French Pyat. 
A very abundant bird at many points of our 
coast, especially in the neighbourhood of 
Drigg, where many pairs nest, and at Beck- 
foot, where hundreds and hundreds assemble 
to feed on the mussel beds. We seldom meet 
with oyster-catchers inland, except during or 
after heavy gales; but the entire coast from 
Rockliffe to the Duddon is enlivened by these 
vociferous birds, except of course where docks 
or ironworks interfere with natural features. 
195. Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus fulicarius 
(Linn.). 
This phalarope is quite unknown in the 
county in red plumage; but immature birds 
and even adults in winter dress occur with 
tolerable frequency during the later months of 
the year. An old female in almost perfect 
winter feather, but still showing one red 
207 
