RUFF. GRALLATORES. MACHETES. 133 



shades, according to the intensity or want of colour in the 

 ruff. During the remainder of the year, or when divested 

 of these periodical appendages, they are more uniform in 

 colour ; though the birds that assume a black or white frill, 

 may usually be distinguished by the comparative darkness 

 or paleness of the head and neck. The females, generally 

 called Reeves, are much inferior in size to the males, an- 

 other circumstance in which they differ from their congeners. 

 They possess no elongated feathers, and the plumage of 

 summer varies but little from that of autumn and winter ; 

 *hey live in the marshes, and resort (as I have before ob- 

 served) to the hills of the male birds at stated periods. 

 The place selected for nidification is commonly of the most 

 swampy nature, abounding in tufts of tall grass and other 

 marshy plants, and upon these the nest is formed, being a Nest, &c. 

 slight depression only, lined with coarse grass and herbage. 

 The eggs, four in number, are in colour and markings very 

 like those of the Common Snipe, but rather larger. The 

 young are excluded in July, and by the end of August, or 

 the beginning of September, are fully fledged; soon after 

 which they congregate, and with the old females leave the 

 kingdom upon their equatorial migration. The flesh of the 

 Ruff is much esteemed, and these birds consequently bring 

 a high price in the market ; on which account, the trade of 

 catching them is still pursued by fowlers in the fens of 

 Lincolnshire, and other places where they abound. From 

 MONTAGU (who made a tour through that county for the 

 purpose of gaining information respecting this bird), it ap- 

 pears that they are taken at two different seasons, viz. in 

 spring, when the old males are captured at the time of hill- 

 ing ; and in September, after the young are fledged, and 

 immediately previous to their leaving the kingdom. They 

 are all caught alive, by means of clap-nets, into which they 

 are enticed by stuffed skins and other devices, and afterwards 

 fattened for the table in confinement; it being a peculiar 

 character of this bird to feel but little alarm, and even to 



