RUFF. pA) 
obtained in June. The late H. Durnford shot a number 
on the first of that month, and one out of a flock of 
fifteen on the 11th, on the sandbanks at the mouth of 
the Mersey. 
Inland, a Sanderling was obtained at Tarporley in 
May 1887.” 
RUFF. 
MACHETES PUGNAX (Linnzeus). 
Even on migration the Ruff is far from common, and 
has only been observed in the west of the county, where 
more are obtained in autumn than in spring. Brock- 
holes says that a few occur almost every autumn on 
the Dee Marshes, and that several were obtained there 
one spring. Captain Congreve has a specimen in his 
collection which was shot at Burton, and Mr. R. H. R. 
Brocklebank killed a Ruff in the same locality in 
September 1897, Mr. Francis Congreve obtaining a 
Reeve at the same time. An immature bird in the 
Grosvenor Museum, Chester, was killed at the mouth 
of the Dee in 1880.2 Byerley mentions one shot at 
West Kirby in October 1852, and another is recorded 
by Mr. H. E. Smith from the Dee Marshes.® Mr. 
Brocklebank informs us that Rufts were fairly plentiful 
on the Marshes in August 1899. Mr. H. Garland 
possesses a bird in breeding plumage which was killed 
some years ago on the Haton Hstate;* and there are 
also two in the Warrington Museum which were 
obtained on Frodsham Marsh—one in 1884, and the 
other, shot by Mr. T. Dainteth, in March 1889. 
1 Zoologist, ser. 11. vol. vii. p. 3149. 1872. 
2 Dobie, op. cit. p. 338. ° Brockholes, op. cit. p. 12. 
* Byerley, op. cit. p. 19. 5H. E. Smith, op. cit. p. 240. 
