J92 RUFF. 



frequents marshy places, where it builds an artless nest 

 among reeds and rushes, and lays four or five eggs of a 

 dirty olive colour, marked with dusky spots. 



The breast and belly of the snipe are of a dull white 

 colour ; the back is covered with long plumage, variegated 

 with black and reddish brown, a line of reddish white 

 runs along the middle of the head ; and the beak is about 

 two inches and a half long. 



When the snipe is alarmed, particularly during the 

 season of incubation, it soars to a considerable height, 

 making a peculiar bleating noise : and in its descent falls 

 with vast rapidity. The cock is observed, while his mate 

 gits on the eggs, to poise himself on the wing nearly over 

 the spot, and to make a whistling or a drumming kind of 

 noise ; perhaps to apprize her of danger, or to express his 

 joy at her security. 



Besides the common snipe, which has just been de- 

 scribed, there are jack snipes, and great snipes ; the latter, 

 however, are very rarely seen in England. The flesh of 

 all the kinds is extremely delicate ; and shooting this bird 

 is a favourite winter-amusement to sportsmen, 



THE RUFF. 



The female of this bird is called the reeve ; and is al- 

 ways of a brown colour, and smaller than the male. The 

 ruff has plumage of various colours ; but is principally 

 distinguished by a remarkable circle of long feathers sur- 

 rounding the neck, from which it obtains its name. In the 

 moulting-season these feathers drop off, and do not appear 

 again till the" ensuing spring. 



These are birds of passage, arriving in this country early 

 in the spring, and disappearing about Michaelmas. They 

 build in some parts of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and 

 Yorkshire. Soon after their arrival, the males assemble on 

 some dry bank near a pool of water ; and each occupies a 

 small track which he perambulates, till the grass is worn 

 away. There they wait till they are joined by the females ; 

 the appearance of whom always occasions a battle, as the- 



