BRITISH BIRDS* 
326 
tention to their charge ; on the approach of any 
perfon to the place of their depofit, they flutter 
round his head with cries of the greatefl inquietude, 
which increafes as he draws nearer the fpot where 
the brood are fquatted ; in cafe of extremity, and 
as a laft refource, they run along the ground as if 
lame, in order to draw off the attention of the fow- 
ler from any further purfuit. The young Lap- 
wings are firfl covered with a blackifh down in- 
terfperfed with long white hairs, which they gra- 
dually lofe, and about the latter end of July they 
acquire their beautiful plumage. At this time, 
according to Buffon, the great affociation begins 
to take place, and they allemble in large flocks of 
young and old, which hover in the air, faunter in 
the meadows, and after rain they difperfe among 
the ploughed fields. In the month of O&ober the 
Lapwings are very fat, and are then faid to be ex- 
cellent eating : Their eggs are confidered as a 
great delicacy, and are fold in the London markets 
at three fhillings a dozen. 
The following anecdote, communicated to us by 
the Rev. J. Carlyle, is worthy of notice, as it 
Ihews the domeflic nature of this bird, as well as 
the art with which it conciliates the regard of a- 
nimals differing from itfelf in nature, and general- 
ly confidered as hoftile to every fpecies of the fea- 
thered tribes. Two of thefe birds, given to Mr 
Carlyle, were put into a garden, where one of 
them foon died; the other continued to pick up 
