Ze “THE RUFF. 
No. 245. 
REE, 
A. O. U. No. 260. Pavoncella pugnax (Linn.). 
Synonym.—REEvE (female). 
Description.—dAdult male in breeding plumage: Front and head usually 
bare and with fleshy papilla; feathers of neck enlarged and elongated into a ruff, 
with corresponding “cape” behind; the latter about half as long as the former, but 
more persistent; entire plumage very variable; three spring males before me pre- 
sent the following appearance: Number one.—Entire plumage, except crissum, 
flanks, lining of wings, chin and primaries, ochraceous-rufous and ochraceous- 
buff, heavily and regularly barred with black, the three shades alternating on ruff, 
and the black of this region showing high metallic purplish reflections. Number 
two.—Crown, cape, and edges of ruff bright ochraceous; enclosed area of ruff 
white; back ochraceous, finely mottled with black; wings grayish brown to dusky; 
breast and sides ochraceous and black in irregular blotches. Nwwmber three (the 
Columbus specimen).—Crown and abbreviated ruff bright tawny, mottled with 
glossy black; throat and lower neck all around pure white; back finely mottled 
ochraceous and black; wings plain fuscous throughout; breast and sides sooty 
black, the feathers with shining purplish tips and whitish edgings; belly, crissum, 
and lining of wings white; bill yellowish to dusky; feet and legs bright yellow ; 
claws black. Adult female: Without ruff; head completely feathered; above black 
predominating, but feathers with broad edgings of brownish or buffy gray; wings 
fuscous or variable gray; fore-neck, breast, and sides mingled ashy gray, black, 
and whitish; remaining under parts white; the black everywhere with more or 
less of metallic reflections. Jmmature: Like adult female, but black less exten- 
sive, non-metallic or brownish; the edging of feathers on back, etc., heavily ochra- 
ceous or buffy; below fore-neck, breast, and sides buffy or buffy-ochraceous ; re- 
maining under parts whitish; bill greenish black; feet and legs light greenish 
brown. Length 10.00-12.50 ( 254.-317.5) ; measurements of a typical adult male: 
wing 6.75 (171.5); tail 2.65 (67.3) ; bill 1.33 (33.8); tarsus 1.80 (45.7). Adult 
female, wing 6.20 (157.5) ; tail 2.20 (55.9) ; bill 1.25 (31.8); tarsus 1.70 (43.2). 
Recognition Marks.—Killdeer size or larger ; most nearly comparable in size, 
length of bill, etc., to the Bartramian Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), and best 
distinguished from that species by negative characters. Ruff of male and glossy 
black, where visible, distinctive. 
Nesting.—Not known to breed in America. Eggs, 4, olive or greenish 
gray, heavily spotted and blotched with umber or bistre. Av. size, 1.71 x 1.20 
(43.4 X 30.5). 
General Range.—Northern parts of the Old World, straying occasionally to 
eastern North America. 
Range in Ohio.—Accidental. ‘Two records: Columbus, April 28, 1878, and 
Licking Reservoir, Licking County, Nov. to, 1872. (Both specimens in O. $. U. 
collection. ) 
TWO specimens of this Old World species, now preserved in the Ohio 
State University collection, entitle it to recognition in our pages. The first, 
