42 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



THE COMMON RUFF. 



(Machetes pugnax.) 



The male, in summer, has numerous fleshy 

 tubercles on the face, two occipital tufts, and a 

 very large ruff of long feathers on the neck. The 

 bill is orange yellow, the end brown ; the tubercles 

 on the head are reddish-yellow, the occipital tufts 

 purplish-black ; the ruff is chestnut, streaked and 

 variegated with black ; in fact there is no end to the 

 variations of these parts. The neck, breast, and sides 

 are mottled with black and white ; hind-neck and 

 back mottled and barred with light reddish-yellow 

 and brownish-black. The primary quills and coverts 

 are dark brown, lower parts white ; legs and feet 

 yellow. Length of bird, twelve inches. 



The winter plumage is very different ; the bill 

 being brown, iris hazel, upper parts variegated with 

 brownish-black and light red ; fore-neck and part of 

 the breast pale reddish-brown, spotted with dark 

 brown. The rest of the lower parts are white ; legs 

 and feet greenish-yellow. 



The female is without tubercles or ruff. In summer 

 the upper parts are greyish-brown glossed with 

 green, fore-part of neck and breast paler, lower 

 parts white. In the winter the female resembles 

 the male, but the dark tints are paler, and the lower 

 parts tinged with grey. 



