Peewits or Lapwings 249 



they swung — heads downwards — the merrier they seemed, 

 busily picking away at the young buds. Some of them 

 remained in the tree more than an hour. 



Peewits or lapwings not only pack in the winter, but 

 may almost be said to pass the nesting-time together. 

 There are two favourite localities in the district, which has 

 been more particularly described, much, frequented by 

 these birds. One is among some water-meadows, where 

 the grass is long earlier in the spring than elsewhere : 

 there the first bennet pushes up its green staff— country 

 people always note the appearance of the first bennet — 

 and the first cuckoo-flower opens. Several nests are made 

 here on the ground, in comparatively close contiguity. 



Upon approaching, the old bird flies up, circles round, 

 and comes so near as almost to be within reach, whistling 

 ' pee-wit, pee-wit,' over your head. He seems to tumble 

 in the air as if wounded and scarcely able to fly ; and those 

 who are not aware of his intention may be tempted to 

 pursue, thinking to catch him. But so soon as you are 

 leaving the nest behind he mounts higher, and wheels off 

 to a distant corner of the field, uttering an ironical ' pee- 

 wit ' as he goes. If you neglect his invitation to catch 

 him if you can, and search for the nest or stand still, he 

 gets greatly excited and comes much closer, and in a few 

 minutes is joined by his mate, who also circles round ; 

 while several of their friends fly at a safer distance, whis- 

 tling in sympathy. 



Then you have a good opportunity of observing the 

 peculiar motion of their wings, which seem to strike 

 simply downwards and not also backwards, as with other 

 birds ; it is a quick jerking movement, the wing giving 

 the impression of pausing the tenth of a second at the 

 finish of the stroke before it is lifted again. If you pasa 



