86 LAKES AND RIVERS. 



determined. The battles of the hill continue, how- 

 ever, till all are mated to their desert, by which 

 time the hill itself is often trodden like a pathway. 

 The nests are rudely formed of withered grass, in 

 the hassocks or tufts, which are separated from each 

 other by sludgy or miry places ; the eggs are four, 

 olive-brown, spotted with darker brown; and the 

 young are hatched about the middle or toward the 

 ' end of June. During the whole of that period the 

 males ' hill ' in the morning ; and they stand accused 

 of some Don Giovanni-ism, but as the period of the 

 young breaking the shell approaches, they ' hill ' in 

 fewer and fewer numbers, combat less energetically, 

 and at that time cease from their combats altogether. 

 It does not appear that the males take any share in 

 the building of the nest, the incubation, or the feeding 

 of the female while sitting, nor have they been seen 

 tending the brood after. They are but little seen 

 during the moulting month ; and when they again 

 make their appearance they are without their insignia 

 of war, and withal very peaceable birds, and har- 

 monious with each other." The eggs are laid in 

 May, and are from i inch ||, to i inch \% long, by 

 i inch -f|, to i inch T %- broad. They are subject 

 to three principal varieties; one has the ground 

 olive-brown, with darker spots of the same colour 

 intermixed with those of purplish-ash ; a second 

 has the ground pale green with spots of burnt umber 

 and purplish-ash ; a third has the ground stone-colour, 

 with spots of dark reddish-brown ; the spots vary in 

 size and shape. The ruff, now scarce, was once 

 abundant in the fenny districts. 



