ARTIFICE OF THE LAPWING. 
103 
quite to forget their ov«rn danger in the endeavour to 
preserve their offspring. It is said that when a hind hears 
the hounds, she will allow herself to be hunted in order to 
lead them away from her fawns.' 
And, again, in ^ Marvels and l^Jysteries of Instinct,' we 
find it stated that — 
The Lapwing plays lier part to mislead the person in quest of her 
nest in a manner very similar to that acted by the Partridge ; with 
this difference only, that the latter is much less on the wing than 
the former. Nothing is more difficult than to find the nests of these 
singular birds. How many times has their art tantalised our ardent 
desire to satisfy a strong curiosity of youth. In vain have we fol- 
lowed the bird, and in vain gone from her. In vain have we taken 
the direction of all the cardinal points. In vain have we made tho 
circle, and gone from centre to circumference. It has been even dif- 
ficult to say whether we have been in the right field or not, for such 
is the distance this species of Plover will lead their pursuers. At 
length we have grown weary, and after giving up the search in dis- 
pair, have retired, leaving the bird to return with an air of triumph. 
The Lapwing, if obliged to quit her nest, does not take wing im- 
mediately, but runs to a very long distance and then rises. All this 
time, too, she remains very quiet, and it is only when fairly away 
that she breaks her silence. The peewit then becomes endless, and 
is given in a tone remarkably plaintive. As she nears and beats 
about the intruder, her tones get louder, often gliding into a whin© 
or scream, at the same time she is fiyin^ round and round, and 
tossing and tumbling herself in the air. The further she makes 
from her nest, and appearing to be going on successfully, the more 
clamorous is her noise, as if she really would, if possilDle, impress 
the belief upon the mind of the invader that he was directing his 
course to the very spot she was so anxious to be avoided ; and 
herein lies the beauty and perfoction of her art. But if the nest, 
on the contrar}^, be actually approached, the apparently sagacious 
creature ceases either to make a noise or to manifest concern at all. 
It is not possible to carry the artifice further ; the climax is com- 
plete. Human reason, being acquainted with the bird's stratagem, 
might devise other schemes to mislead men who were in possession 
of the same knoAvledge ; but none better calculated to allure away 
an animal, or a human being who was ignorant of the Lapwing's prac- 
tice. The phenomenon is as admirable as it is marvellous. 
An anonymous author tells us that, when the La23wing 
wants to procuie food, it seeks for a worm's nest, and 
stamps the ground by the side of it with its feet, after the 
manner of boys in order to procure worms for fishing. 
After doing this for a short time, the bird waits for the 
