RUFF. 263 
the avocet, the ruffs were but little affected. In 
like manner, also, there seems no reason to suppose 
that these birds ever bred in the brackish marshes at 
Salthouse, although frequently observed there as birds 
of passage. At Hoveton Mr. Blofeld has not known 
them as residents for more than thirty years; but in 
May, 1862, a flock of ruffs and reeves visited his 
marshes, and gave him hopes of their remaining, but 
all took their departure again after a few days’ rest. 
Mr. Lubbock, from personal observation, refers 
specially to the vicinity of Heigham Sounds as their 
head quarters amongst the larger broads; and the late 
Mr. John Kerrison remembered them years back in some 
plenty in the Ranworth marshes. At the present time, 
however, Hickling alone, of all that still wild country, is 
visited annually by a few of these birds, but, should they 
become exterminated, the race of Norfolk, may we not 
almost say, of British ruffs, will have become extinct. Can 
nothing be done to secure, before it is too late, the same 
protection for our resident waders, as is about to be 
afforded to the sea fowl on our coasts and the “ loons” 
on our inland waters? In this instance, I know, the 
lord of the manor does his utmost to protect the ruffs 
and reeves in his marshes, but so long as no actual 
penalty attaches to the robbery of the nests, or the 
snaring of hen birds in the act of incubation, it is 
impossible to preserve effectually in such places. Idle 
hands will always be found ready to risk the trespass, 
so long as cash or beer at the village public forms a 
tempting bait, with but little fear of detection. In my 
own notes for the last sixteen years I find frequent 
entries with reference to both eggs and birds brought up 
to Norwich for sale from the Hickling marshes; and 
in the summer of 1866, when there were an unusual 
number of nests, a corresponding supply of reeves’ eggs 
found their way into the hands of our bird-stuffers. 
