Page:The Common Birds of Bombay.djvu/178

162 structure. Long-leggedness is almost the only common feature. They are divided into five Tribes, and these again into many Families. The First Tribe contains the Ostrich and Emu and other giant fowls, whose wings are reduced to stumps for growing feathers to ornament ladies' hats. These are the Cursores, or Runners, of some authors. Next come the Bustards, Floricans, Plovers, and all that lot, which also run well, but can fly too. Like the Ostrich, they have no hind toe. As they never perch on trees, or anywhere else, a hind toe would be a superfluity. They all lay their eggs on the ground, and the young run as soon as they are hatched. In this Tribe there are some which must be noticed here. The Lapwing, Peewit, or Plover, which has the misfortune to lay fashionable eggs in England, is not found here, but it has a near relation which is one of our most familiar birds. It has no crest, but on its cheeks there are two bright red lappets, like the wattles of a cock, and Jerdon calls it the Red-wattled Lapwing (Lobivanellus goensis). It is a greenish-brown bird with a good deal of black and white upon it. The head is black, with the throat, down to the upper part of the breast. Below this the under parts, with the lining of the wings, are pure white, as you see when it flies. But why should I describe the Lapwing? It needs no description and wants no introduction. It introduces itself to you; impresses itself on you; dins itself into you. Where it sprang from, I cannot tell, but there it is in the air, circling round and round, now far, now very near, now high, now low, now seeming to go, but wheeling round and coming swiftly back again; for it will not go. And all the time it is