RUFF SNIPES. 229 



(or young rooks) be careful how they fire among rick- 

 yards and buildings, and always avoid loading their 

 guns with either paper or tow. For this kind of shoot- 

 ing, therefore, the safest and best kind of wadding is 

 leather. But as this pastime is most frequently fol- 

 lowed by those who never use a punch, or perhaps do 

 not even know what the word " wadding" means, let 

 me only advise, that they be requested to put green 

 moss, or leaves, on their powder and shot, instead of 

 using paper, which is so very liable to set fire to the 

 buildings. Young rooks, by being first skinned, and 

 then soaked all night in cold spring water, make pies, 

 which are worthy the notice of the most scientific 

 gourmand. 



RUFF. Tringa pugnax Le combattant. 



Ruffs are birds of which the males are seldom found 

 two alike in plumage, and of which the females are 

 called REEVES. 



As I before observed, when classing them with the 

 knots, they are easier caught than shot in any great 

 quantity. It is ludicrous to see these birds dancing 

 round the hillocks in the spring, and particularly when 

 they dance into the springes that are set for them. 



SNIPES. 



Of these there are the three following sorts : 



THE GREAT, or SOLITARY SNIPE. Scolopax media La grande 

 becassine. (As Buffon does not notice the bird, we are to pre- 

 sume that this must be the French translation.) 



THE COMMON SNIPE, SNITB, or HEATHER-BLEATER. Scolopax 



gallinago La becassine. 

 THE JACK SNIPE, JUDCOCK, JETCOCK, or GID. Scolopax gal- 



llnula La petite becassine. 



