RUFF. 263 



the avocet, the ruffs were but little affected. In 

 like manner, also, there seems no reason to suppose 

 that these birds ever bred in the brackish marshes at 

 Salthouse, although frequently observed there as birds 

 of passage. At Hoveton Mr. Blofeld has not known 

 them as residents for more than thirty years ; but in 

 May, 1862, a flock of ruffs and reeves visited his 

 marshes, and gave him hopes of their remaining, but 

 all took their departure again after a few days' rest. 



Mr. Lubbock, from personal observation, refers 

 specially to the vicinity of Heigham Sounds as their 

 head quarters amongst the larger broads ; and the late 

 Mr. John Kerrison remembered them years back in some 

 plenty in the Ran worth marshes. At the present time, 

 however, Hickling alone, of all that still wild country, is 

 visited annually by a few of these birds, but, should they 

 become exterminated, the race of Norfolk, may we not 

 almost say, of British ruffs, will have become extinct. Can 

 nothing be done to secure, before it is too late, the same 

 protection for our resident waders, as is about to be 

 afforded to the sea fowl on our coasts and the " loons " 

 on our inland waters ? In this instance, I know, the 

 lord of the manor does his utmost to protect the ruffs 

 and reeves in his marshes, but so long as no actual 

 penalty attaches to the robbery of the nests, or the 

 snaring of hen birds in the act of incubation, it is 

 impossible to preserve effectually in such places. Idle 

 hands will always be found ready to risk the trespass, 

 so long as cash or beer at the village public forms a 

 tempting bait, with but little fear of detection. In my 

 own notes for the last sixteen years I find frequent 

 entries with reference to both eggs and birds brought up 

 to Norwich for sale from the Hickling marshes ; and 

 in the summer of 1866, when there were an unusual 

 number of nests, a corresponding supply of reeves' eggs 

 found their way into the hands of our bird-stuffers. 



