RUFF. 577 



inclined to fight. Tf this plan was generally enforced by the 

 proprietors of fen-land, or made a bye-law amongst themselves, 

 the breed would not be so reduced ; but there are still 

 fowlers who make two seasons, and by catching the old birds 

 in the spring, especially the females, verify the fable of the 

 goose and the golden eggs : the destruction of every female 

 in the breeding season is the probable loss of four young." 



" The manner of taking these birds is somewhat different 

 in the two seasons : in the spring the RufFs hill^ as it is 

 termed, that is, they assemble upon a rising spot of ground, 

 contiguous to where the Reeves propose to deposit their 

 eggs ; there they take their stand, at a small distance from 

 each other, and contend for the females, — the nature of poly- 

 gamous birds. This hill, or place of resort for love and bat- 

 tle, is sought for by the fowler, who from habit discovers it 

 by the birds having trodden the turf somewhat bare, though 

 not in a circle as usually described. When a hill has been 

 discovered, the fowler repairs to the spot before the break of 

 day, spreads his net, places his decoy birds, and takes his 

 stand at the distance of about one hundred and forty yards, 

 or more, according to the shyness of the birds. The net is 

 Avhat is termed a single clap-net, about seventeen feet long 

 and six feet wide, with a pole at each end ; this, by means 

 of uprights fixed in the ground, and each furnished with a 

 pulley, is easily pulled over the birds within reach, and rarely 

 fails taking all within its grasp ; but in order to give the pull 

 the greatest velocity, the net, if circumstances will permit, is 

 so placed as to fold over with the wind : however, there are 

 some fowlers who prefer pulling it against the wind for 

 Plovers. As the RufFs feed chiefly by night, they repair to 

 the frequented hill at the dawn of day, nearly all at the same 

 time, and the fowler makes his first pull according to circum- 

 stances, takes out his birds, and prepares for the stragglers 

 who traverse the fens and have no adopted hill ; these are 



VOL. II. 2 p 



