132 GRALLATORES. MACHETES. RUFF; 



mous birds of the rasorial Order, all of which take up sepa- 

 rate stations, and obstinately defend them during the season 

 of excitement ; but, after that period, again unite in society, 

 and live amicably together. In fighting, the actions of the 

 Ruff are not unlike those of the Common Cock ; the head is 

 lowered, and held in a horizontal direction, and the feathers 

 of the neck, which form the shield, are distended outwards, 

 so as to cover and protect the tender parts of the body ; the 

 auricular feathers are erect, and the tail is partly expanded. 

 In this attitude the combatants stand opposed to each other, 

 attempting to lay hold with their bills ; and, if this is effect- 

 ed, by a leap the wings are then brought into offensive ac- 

 tion. As might be expected from the nature of the weapons, 

 their contests are not often attended by fatal consequences. 

 This, however, sometimes does occur, as MONTAGU mentions 

 an instance, in which the bird died from an injury in the 

 throat, got in one of its feuds when in confinement; for 

 even in this state they are easily excited, and a mess of food 

 placed before three or four of them is sufficient to rouse the 

 spirit of contention *. Nothing perhaps is more singular in 

 Diversity the history of this bird than the diversity of plumage which 

 individuals exhibit at that period of the year when they are 

 subject to the feathery appendages of the head and neck ; at 

 this time it is scarcely possible to find two that are precisely 

 alike in colour. In some, the frill is of a yellowish or chest- 

 nut hue, elegantly barred with black ; in others, of a plain 

 brown ; some have it pure white ; others white intermixed 

 with black and chestnut ; and others again entirely black, or 

 black glossed with purple and steel-blue. The upper parts 

 of the body and breast partake also at this time of the pre- 

 vailing tints of the elongated neck-feathers ; and the bill and 

 legs vary from a pale yellow to black and other intermediate 



* For a, full and interesting account of the Ruff, the mode of taking 

 them, &c. I must refer my readers to the Supplement to MONTAGU'S 

 Ornithological Dictionary, art. Ruff. 



