269 



NOTES ON THE LAPWING NEAR GARSTANG. 



J. A. JACKSON, 

 Warringto7i. 



(Read before the Warrington Field Club, February 3rd, 1888.) 



The following notes all refer to the district near Garstang, unless 

 specially mentioned otherwise. The bird to which I wish to call 

 attention is no doubt familiar to all — at least at a distance — 

 and is known commonly as the Lapwing, or Tewit, and its scientific 

 name is Vanellus vulgaris. It is a handsome bird when closely 

 examined, being black on the head, crest and breast, white on the 

 sides of the neck and lower parts, yellowish red under tail coverts, 

 and dark green above, slightly mottled and shot with purple ; tail 

 white, with a black patch on all except the outer feather at each side. 

 In winter the chin and throat are white, changing to black during 

 the breeding season, beginning about April. Bill dark, legs reddish, 

 the eye large and full. Length, i2jin. ; width from tip to tip of 

 wings, 28 in. Weight, 8 oz. to 9 oz. Plumage of male and female 

 is similar, except that the latter is not quite so bright, and the crest 

 shorter. The crest is a very conspicuous feature in this species, and 

 in a fine specimen is some three inches long. This bird is widely 

 distributed, being found in most parts of Europe, in Egypt, and 

 East and West from Ireland to Japan. It breeds in all our English 

 counties, but is least common in the Midland and South-Western. 

 They are partially migratory, in some districts regularly so ; and I 

 find them mentioned several times in the migration reports from the 

 lighthouses, and also in Mr. Gatke's notes from the Island of Heligo- 

 land. The young are led by the parent birds in search of food, but 

 not fed by them. Their principal food is worms, slugs, and insects. 

 On the shore they get sandhoppers, shrimps, and other small 

 Crustacea. They are good to eat in autumn and winter, and in 

 some districts large numbers are netted for the market ; but, so 

 far as I know, this is never practised in this part of the country. In 

 'The Fowler in Ireland' there is a very interesting account of this 

 bird ; its eggs are not sought for there, or regarded as a dainty, as in 

 England. A full description is given of the method to be pursued 

 in netting it : ' From thirty to forty dozen birds per net per week 

 would be an average take in January if the weather be mild (this 

 being the best month). The dealers give from 4d. to 6d. each for 

 the birds, and as many as 150 are sometimes taken at one fall of 

 the net.' 



Sept. 1888. s 



