1 84 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



the feathers in the tail barred, and the shaft of the 

 iirst primary white. In the Green Sandpiper the 

 bases of the tail feathers are white, and all the 

 quills are dusky. The legs and toes of the Wood 

 Sandpiper are yellowish clay-colour ; in the Green 

 Sandpiper they are greyish-green. 



Expanse of wing, 14 in.; weight, 2| oz. 



RUFF and REEVE. Machetes pugnax (Linnaeus). PL 

 23, figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 8a. Length, 6 12 in., ? 9 in.; bill, 

 1-25 ; wing, ^ 7-25 in., ? 6 in. ; tarsus, 3 1-5, ? 1-25. 



A spring and autumn migrant. Formerly nested 

 annually in the eastern counties of England ; now 

 a few pairs only remain to breed in favourable 

 localities, where they are professedly protected. 



In 1869 Ruffs and Reeves were breeding in Lin- 

 colnshire in limited numbers, and twenty years later 

 were observed on their spring migration in the 

 marshes lying to the north of that county (Cordeaux, 

 Zool, 1884, p. 466; 1890, p. 204). 



In 1870 Stevenson ("Birds of Norfolk," ii. p. 

 261) thought Hickling Broad was the only place in 

 Norfolk where they still continued to breed. In 

 1889 Mr. J. H. Gurney pubhshed a description of 

 two nests with eggs found on June 28 of that year 

 {Zool., 1889, p. 336), and Mr. Marchant has since 

 reported a nest found near Hoveton Broad in 1897. 

 As to the former breeding of the Ruff at Martin 

 Mere, Lancashire, see Howard, Zool., 1884, p. 446. 



The name "Ruff" has been obviously bestowed 

 on account of the frill which is assumed by the 



