116 THE STORY OF BIRD-LIFE. 



spangled with white, grey, or gold colour . . . 

 every ruff in each successive year assumes tufts 

 and frill exactly the same in colour and markings 

 as those he wore in the preceding season ; and 

 thus, polymorphic as is the male, as a species, 

 as an individual, he is unchangeable in his 

 w edding-garment. " 



"That all this wonderful 'show' is the con- 

 sequence of the polygamous habit of the ruff 

 can scarcely be doubted." Our really beautiful 

 frontispiece gives a good idea of what this 'ruff' 

 is like. 



Their actions in fighting are said to be similar 

 to those of the game-cock : the head is lowered 

 and the beak held straight out ; each particular 

 feather is made to stand on end, the "ruff"' and 

 tail are extended to the full, so that the general 

 effect is one of great ferocity. Then a swift 

 movement is made by one or other of the 

 combatants, the beak of the less active is seized, 

 and a leap made into the air, followed simul- 

 taneously by a stroke of the wing — generally a 

 harmless one. 



These combats take place on some slight 

 eminence near the spot where the eggs are laid, 

 the males meeting here for the purpose of con- 

 tending for the females. This habit helped 

 largely to bring about their extinction in this 

 country. For the fowler, having discovered one 

 of these spots of "hilling places" by the birds 

 having trodden the spot bare, managed, by 

 cunningly laid nets, to capture every bird then 

 on the "hill." 



Fighting would seem, however, to be only 



