The Ruff 251 



ruff or breast-frill varies from pure white or black to 

 orange or chestnut, barred or spotted with black in every 

 shape and form. Besides the ruff on the breast, the bird 

 possesses two little crests on each side of the head, and 

 the way in which the birds dance and pirouette is one of 

 the most amusing sights in nature. In a wild state, the 

 males fight for the females (hence Linnaeus' specific name 

 of pugnax), but little bloodshed results, for the weapons of 

 offence in the Ruff are not of much weight, but when 

 courting, the antics of the male birds as seen in captivity 

 are laughable enough, for after whirling round and springing 

 into the air, they suddenly stop before the lady, with the 

 bill pointed to the ground, so as to bring into full display 

 the breast-shield and at the same time the tufts of feathers 

 on the crown, as much as to say " What do you think of 

 that for a show ? " 



The male in the genus Pavoncella is much larger than 

 the female, and in the winter plumage it can be told by its 

 size alone, as then there is very little difference in the colour 

 of the sexes. What a pity it seems to be that, owing to the 

 drainage of our fen-land, the Ruff no longer nests with us, 

 as its favourite haunts have already been reclaimed, and 

 the land too much occupied for the bird to find the marshy 

 solitude which its soul loves ! It still nests, however, though 

 in diminishing numbers, in parts of Holland and in Denmark. 



Although the male Ruff loves to fight with a rival male, 

 like many other birds already noticed, its powers of doing 

 injury to its enemy are limited ; but in some fighting 

 birds, distinct weapons of offence are present, as, for 

 instance, in the sharp spurs possessed by some of the 

 Spur-winged Plovers, which are provided with a long and 

 sharp spine on the point of the wing. Some Spur-winged 

 Geese of Africa (Plectropterus) are similarly armed, as also 

 are the Screamers of South America (Chauna). Many 

 birds use their wings instead of their bills to defend 



