CHAPTER IX. 



THE PEEWIT. 



The Peewit, lapwing, or plover, belongs to the naturalist 

 family of Gallatores or Waders, all of which are furnished with 

 strong legs and feet for walking, whilst all which inhabit watery 

 places, or feed their young amongst the waves, have legs 

 sufficiently long to enable them to wade ; whence comes the 

 family name. 



The peewit, or lapwing, is a very interesting bird, from its 

 peculiar character and habits. Its plumage is handsome ; the 

 upper part of the body of a rich green, with metallic reflections; 

 the sides of the neck and base of the tail of a pure white ; the 

 tail is black ; so is the top of the head, which is furnished with 

 a long, painted crest, lying backwards, but which can be raised 

 at pleasure. In length the bird is about a foot. 



The peewit lives in all parts of this country, and furnishes 

 one of the pleasantly peculiar features of open sea-shores and 

 wide moorland wastes, in the solitudes of which, its incessant, 

 plaintive cry has an especially befitting sound, like the very 

 spirit of the scene, moaning in unison with the waves, and 

 wailing over the wide melancholy of the waste. Nevertheless, the 

 peewit is not in itself mournful, for it is a particularly lively and 

 active bird, sporting and frolicking in the air with its fellows, 

 now whirling round and round, and now ascending to a great 



