156 CHARADRIID/E 



Its principal locality is low wet ground of all descrip- 

 tions, preferring the temperate and milder climates during 

 the winter, and the more northern during the breeding sea- 

 son. 



The numbers of this species appear considerably greater in 

 the spring and autumn than at other times, owing to their as- 

 sembling in companies for their migrations. The months of 

 February and March are the usual time for the spring migra- 

 tion, varying a week or two, according to an early or late 

 spring ; and in October and November they return southward 

 in flocks of hundreds together. 



In the south of France, Italy, and Greece great num- 

 bers reside during the winter ; Sardinia also is a very fa- 

 vourite haunt during that time of the year. 



The migratory movements of the Crested Lapwing are 

 more usually performed during the day than the night, 

 and at a considerably high elevation, keeping close together 

 and moving on without any regular order. It is very 

 interesting to watch these birds on the wing, as they wheel 

 and turn about so exactly at the same moment that it ap- 

 pears as if they were under the command of a military leader ; 

 shewing thereby all their predominant colours at the same 

 instant. 



This bird is restless, watchful, and very shy, avoiding 

 therefore all cover of trees or plantations ; it rarely ap- 

 proaches buildings, and alights consequently in the most 

 open and extensive meads and wastes. When a gun is 

 fired within hearing of the Lapwing it is very difficult to 

 approach it for a length of time within range, the experi- 

 enced sportsman resorts thus to lying in wait for a flock 

 under the shelter of a hedge or embankment. 



When engaged on the ground in pursuit of its food, 

 the Crested Lapwing carries its body in a horizontal di- 



