THE LAPWING. 
Ill 
On the 15th April, 1847, I was reminded, in an interesting man- 
ner, of the earlier breeding time of the lapwing than of the golden 
plover, when visiting the same locality. The former were all 
paired, and going through the evolutions on wing peculiar to the 
season, while the golden plover which make their congener's 
summer abode their winter one, had not yet left it, a flock of 
about thirty being on the ground. The lapwings looked upon 
the others as intruders, and one bird boldly swept down to buffet 
the flock, among which it alighted and chased several individuals, 
until the whole body took flight to a little distance. 
As remarked to me, Mr. Hewitson, in his beautiful work on 
the Eggs of British Birds (p. 261), does not distinguish between 
the manoeuvres of the male and female lapwing in the breeding 
season, but speaks generally of the species whirling about to lead 
one from its nest. It is the male bird (as correctly stated by Mr. 
Selby) that first endeavours to divert attention from the nest, 
until the female can steal away from it unperceived."* The hollow 
bumping noise, probably produced in the throat, which the male 
makes when arriving within a few yards of our head, is considered 
by Mr. Poole to be evidently intended for menace." As well 
observed by that gentleman, The lapwing seems to experience 
great difficulty in rising to a height in the air suddenly when 
disturbed, and therefore finds it necessary to take several rings 
before getting out of shot." 
The evolutions of the lapwing in its breeding haunts are various 
and extremely interesting to witness. It may be said to keep a 
drumming" noise as well as the snipe, though not to the same 
extent ; and I have remarked that this may sometimes be heard both 
when the bird is ascending and descending in its flight. The sound 
seems to arise from a peculiar, though to the eye not very marked, 
motion of the wings, which beat the air with more than ordinary 
force when it is produced. t The motionless attitude in the air, 
* Mr. J. R. Garrett. 
t Mr. Selby observes that “ these movements are attended by a loud hissing 
noise of the wings, arising from the rapid motion, aided by their peculiar form, which 
offers a broken resistance to the air,” (vol. ii. p. 222). 
