228 SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE. 



vious day during the season in the same state of 

 feather. 



RUFF, Machetes pugnax. A scarce bird in Sus- 

 sex, except on poulterers' stalls. I never knew an 

 adult male killed here during the summer, but 

 have met with it at Pagham in the winter, when 

 the plumage resembled that of the female, or 

 reeve the ornamental ruff having then disap- 

 peared. One of the latter was captured in a sin- 

 gular manner a few years ago near Hove. It flew 

 into a birdcatcher's net, apparently attracted by 

 the decoy lark. It was sent alive to Mr. Sways- 

 land, of Brighton. 



In a bird of the year the fore part of the neck 

 and breast is of a reddish grey, or buff colour, and 

 in this state of plumage it is sometimes mistaken 

 for that rare bird, the buff-breasted sandpiper, by 

 those who have never seen an example of the lat- 

 ter species. Mr. Yarrell has clearly pointed out 

 the distinctions. 



WOODCOCK, Scolopax rusticola. Abundant in 

 many of the great woods of Sussex during the 

 winter. Breeds regularly in some parts of the 

 weald. At Hollycombe young woodcocks are 

 found every summer,* and Sir Charles Taylor has 



* Vide Jesse's ' Gleanings in Natural History,' vol. ii. 

 . 184. 



