186 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



the spring plumage, has the feathers of the neck greatly 

 elongated and the ear tufts large and full, and these form a 

 ruff which, when the bird is excited or angry, is very con- 

 spicuous, and gives ifc a remarkable appearance. The spe- 

 cies is polygamous, and during the breeding-season combats 

 between rivals among the males are of perpetual occurrence. 

 " The males now begin to hill, as it is termed ; that is, they 

 seek some spot a little elevated above the surrounding marsh, 

 to which, as to a common centre, numbers are gradually 

 drawn. Each individual selects its own station or little ter- 

 ritory, for the possession of which it strenuously contends; the 

 attempt of a rival to encroach upon the circle is immediately 

 followed by a hard-fought battle, the territory being ceded by 

 the vanquished to the victor. These battles and contests are 

 almost incessant, at least during the day, for at nighfc they 

 all return to the marsh in order to feed (in this respect their 

 habits being nocturnal), but in the morning each resumes 

 its station, and the contests are again carried on. Here, full 

 of animosity against each other, and jealous of each other's 

 rights, they await the arrival of the females. The arrival 

 on the hill of one of the other sex, is the signal for a general 

 contest. The scene is now one of perpetual warfare, female 

 after female arriving at the hill, so that 'the theatre of 



