108 SHOOTING. 



tlie quantity of blood that issues is very great, considering the size 

 of tlie bird. Like the woodcock, they are dressed with then, 

 intestines ; and, when killed at the critical time, epicures decl^iie 

 them to be the most dehcious of all morsels." 



These birds leave Great Britain in the winter, and are then sup. 

 posed to associate with others of the fen-bird species, among wliich 

 they are no longer recognised as the ruff and the reeve. Li the 

 spring, as soon as they arrive again in England, and take up their 

 residence in the fenny districts, where they were bred, they then 

 become the objects of the fowler's and the shooter's sport. 

 ^ The autumnal catching is commonly about Michaehnas, at which 

 time few old males are taken, from which an opinion has been 

 entertained that they migrate before the females and young. It 

 is, however, more probable that the few which are left after the 

 spring fowling, like other polygamous birds, keep in parties sepa- 

 rate from the female and her brood till the retui'n of spring, _ That 

 some old ruifs are occasionally taken in the autumnal fowKng wej 

 iave the assertion of experienced fowlers; but we must admit 

 others declare none are taken at this season. It must, however, 

 be recollected that in the autumn the characteristic long feathers 

 have been discharged, and consequently young and old males have 

 equally their plain di-ess ; and this circumstance may tend to give 

 rise to the contrary judgments on the matter. It does not appear i 

 to be the opinion of fowlers that the males are mpre than one; 

 season arriving at maturity, because the ruffs taken in the spring,' 

 destitute of the characteristic long feathers, which constitute theu*i 

 principal distinction, are comparatively few to those possessing the; 

 ruff; the opinion, therefore, that these ruffless males are bir^s of 1 

 a very late brood of the preceding season, is a reasonable conjecture. 



The_ shooting of the ruff and reeve is confined to particular; 

 locahties in England- chiefly to the fens of Lincolnshire, Cam- 

 brigeshire, Isle_ of Ely, and to the East Ridmg of Yorkshire. . 

 There are likewise a few to be found in the^ femiy districts about t 

 Eridgwater, in Somersetshire, but these having been considerably , 

 drained of late years, the birds are now scarcer. In the marshy 

 lands between Boston and Spilsby, they may yet be met with in i 

 considerable numbers. These birds are tolerably easy shooting — 

 no particular dexterity with the fowling piece is required. 



The Knot {Tringa Canutus, Linn.) is another of the sporting ; 

 fen-bu'ds. It is associated with royalty. We are informed from 

 history, that King Canute was so fond of eatmg them, that the bird 

 itself became known by the name of knute, or knout, as this king's 

 name was expressed by his subjects, and, in the course of time the 

 word became shortenened to knot when applied to the bird. It 

 measm^es about nine inches, has a tail of a dusky brown colour, of 

 rather more than aninch long. _ The extent of the wdngs is about 

 fifteen inches ; and its weight isabout two ounces eight di"achms. 

 The bin is one inch and three-eights long, black at the tip and 

 dusky, fading into orange towards^the base. The tongue is nearly 



