428 The Water-fowl Family 



protect from his rivals. The ruffs " hill," that is, 

 assemble in the early morning on some rising 

 ground near a marsh where the reeves have de- 

 cided to lay, and contend with each other like 

 game-cocks, striking at each other with the beak, 

 with head lowered, the bill horizontal, and the ruff 

 extended and held before the breast as a shield. 

 In former times the males were netted during 

 these spring combats, a drop-net being set over 

 the spot where they assembled, and a stuffed bird 

 used as a decoy; by this means, it is said, every 

 male about a marsh could be caught. The birds 

 taken were fattened for market, eating greedily 

 as soon as caught. By most submissive behavior, 

 too, the ruff seeks to win the reeve, throwing him- 

 self on the ground before her, every feather on 

 his body standing and quivering ; but as soon as 

 the eggs are laid he deserts his wives and families 

 and joins other males in a renewal of the freedom 

 of his bachelor existence. 



BARTRAMIAN SANDPIPER 

 (Bartramia longicaudd) 



Male and female in breeding plumage Top of head, back, and 

 scapulars, dusky, the feathers, marked with brown and margined 

 with buff; lores and space around eye, pale buff; rest of head 

 and neck, bright buff, spotted with dark brown ; greater wing- 

 coverts, brown, barred on inner web and bordered with white ; 

 lesser wing-coverts, brown, barred with dusky and bordered 

 with bright buff; primaries and secondaries, dark brown, barred 



