Strata-gems of the Bird. 53 



arts also — and indeed the care and solicitude of both parents 

 is wonderful. Suppose, now, the little helpless group is out 

 running here and there as merry as life can make them, and a 

 man, a boy, or a dog, or perhaps all three, are seen approach- 

 ing. At once the little birds squat close to the earth, so that 

 they become almost invisible, and the parent-birds are on the 

 alert, whirling round and round the disturber, angry and 

 troubled, wailing and crying their doleful pee-wit cry, drawing 

 them ever further and further away from the brood. Should, 

 however, the artifice not succeed, and the terrible intruder still 

 obstinately advance in the direction of the young, they try a 

 new artifice ; drop to the ground, and,' running along in the 

 opposite course, pretend lameness, tumbling feebly along in the 

 most artful manner, thus apparently offering the easiest and 

 most tempting prey, till, having safely lured away the enemy, 

 they rise at once into the air, screaming again their pee-wit, but 

 now as if laughing over their accomplished scheme. 



The young, which are hatched in April, are in full plumage 

 by the end of July, when the birds assemble in flocks, and, 

 leaving the sea-shore, or the marshy moorland, betake them- 

 selves to downs and sheep-walks, where they soon become fat, 

 and are said to be excellent eating. Happily, however, for 

 them, they are not in as much request for the table as they were 

 in former times. Thus we find in an ancient book of house- 

 keeping expenses, called " The Northumberland Household- 

 book," that they are entered under the name of IVypcs, and 

 charged one penny each ; and that they were then considered a 

 first-rate dish is proved by their being entered as forming a 

 part of "his lordship's own mess," or portion of food; viess 



