THE RUFF AND THE REEVE 39 



and Reeves, as well as the fattening of them for the 

 table, belong almost to the past, owing to the causes 

 I have mentioned, notably the drainage of the fens. 



To complete the description of the Ruff it will be 

 interesting to my readers if I quote from the sup- 

 plement to Montagu's Ornithological Dictionary, 

 published in 1813. Colonel Montagu states that 

 he made a tour through Lincolnshire in order to 

 make himself acquainted with the history of this 

 singular bird. 



"The trade of catching Ruffs," he says, "is 

 confined to a very few persons, which at present 

 scarcely repays their trouble and expense of nets. 

 These people live in obscure places on the verge of 

 the fens, and are found out with difficulty, for few if 

 any birds are ever bought but by those who make 

 a trade of fattening them for the table ; and they 

 sedulously conceal the abode of the fowlers, so much 

 that by no art could we obtain from any of them 

 where they resided ; and in order to deceive us, 

 after evading our inquiries, gave us instructions that 

 led us in quite a contrary direction. The reason of 

 all this was obvious, for after much labour and 

 search in the most obscure places for neither the 

 inn-keepers nor other inhabitants of the town could 

 give any information, and many did not know such 

 a bird was peculiar to their fens we found out a 

 very civil and intelligent fowler, who resided close 

 to Spalding, at Fengate, by name William Burton 

 we feel a pleasure in recording his name, not only 

 from his obliging nature, but for the use of others in 



