RUFF. GRALLATORES. MACHETES. 131 



orders. An analogy is thus maintained between individuals 

 otherwise far removed from each other. Shortly after the 

 arrival of the males in this country, and as soon as the fea- 

 thers of the throat, which form the ruff, and the auricular 

 tufts' (also appendages peculiar to the season) become almost 

 fully developed), they begin to hill, as it is termed ; that is, 

 to assemble in companies upon some dry hillock, or rising 

 spot of ground amidst the marshes ; each individual select- 

 ing there a particular stand or walk at a small distance from 

 his neighbour ; any attempt to encroach upon which is in- 

 stantly resented, and the possession of it most obstinately 

 defended. Here each bird keeps moving in his respective 

 circle, 1 ? awaiting the approach of any one of the other sex ; 

 whose appearance immediately throws the whole assemblage 

 into excitement, and acts as the signal for a general fight, 

 her favours Jbeing the prize of victory. Each morning, soon 

 after daybreak, when the males return to their hill from the 

 surrounding marshes, where they disperse and feed during 

 the night, the same species of warfare takes place, and the 

 theatre of these^ battles and amours soon becomes bare of 

 grass from the constant traversing of the combatants. This 

 scene continues during the month of May and great part of 

 June, until their mutual fervour begins to abate ; indicated 

 in the male birds by the shedding of the ruff and auricular 

 plumes, and the commencement of a general moult. The 

 papillae, or small fleshy tubercles, that cover the face and 

 the region of the eyes during the height of the season (and 

 which are ascertained, by experiments on birds kept in con- 

 finement, to be only consequent on sexual connexion) also 

 disappear; and in a short time they become clothed in a 

 plumage so unlike that of the early summer, as to be with 

 difficulty recognised. With this difference of plumage, a 

 change is also wrought in their disposition, as they no longer 

 exhibit the extreme pugnacity that distinguished them during 

 the time of hilling ; and this fact is in accordance with the 

 manners of the Pheasant, Black Grouse, and other polyga- 



