. A history of British birds . ack at all ages and seasons; under wing-coverts white;legs, toes, and claws dark slate. The whole length is twelve inches. From the carpaljoint to the end of the wing seven inches and five-eighths ;the first quill-feather three-eighths of an inch longer thanthe second, and the longest in the wing. In winter the feathers on the upper surface of the bodyare dusky grey, edged with dull white ; the throat, breast,and sides, lighter in colour than the back, the feathers butslightly streaked with dusky grey; the belly, vent, andunder tail-coverts, dull white, with few
. A history of British birds . ack at all ages and seasons; under wing-coverts white;legs, toes, and claws dark slate. The whole length is twelve inches. From the carpaljoint to the end of the wing seven inches and five-eighths ;the first quill-feather three-eighths of an inch longer thanthe second, and the longest in the wing. In winter the feathers on the upper surface of the bodyare dusky grey, edged with dull white ; the throat, breast,and sides, lighter in colour than the back, the feathers butslightly streaked with dusky grey; the belly, vent, andunder tail-coverts, dull white, with few or no marks. In spring the black feathers begin to appear on thebreast, and the birds may be observed in various degreesof change from white, v;ith only a few black feathers, toentire and perfect black. The breeding-plumage is generallycomplete by the end of May. Young birds of the year in autumn are much spotted withyellow, giving them a strong superficial resemblance to theGolden Plover. 1 LIMICOIM. LAPWING. 283 CHARADRIID^.. Vanellus vulgaris, Bechstein*. THE LAPWING, OR PEEWIT. Vanellus cristatus. Vanellus, Brissonf.—Bill shorter than the head, straight, slightly ooin-pressed ; the points of both mandibles horny and hard. Nasal groove wide,and reacbing as far as the horoy tip. Nostrils basal, linear, pierced in themembrane of the nasal groove. Legs slender, with the lower part of the tibiaenaked. Tarsi reticulated behind, scutellated in front. Feet four-toed ; threebefore, one behind, the anterior ones united at the base by a membrane ; hindtoe very short, articulated upon the tarsus. Wings large, tubercuiatod oispurred in front of the carpal joint ; the first and second quill-feathers shorterthan the third and fourth, which are about equal, and the longest in the wing. The Lapwing, or Peewit, is one of the best known amongour native birds; the first name being suggested by its peculiar * Ornithologisches Taschenbuch, ii. p. 313 (1803). t Ornithologie, v. p. 94 (1760). Th
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Keywords: ., bookauthorsaun, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds
