THE RUFF. 307 



me that he finds it common in autumn on the shores of the Forth, 

 near Grangemouth. In November, 1870, when visiting that part 

 of the coast in his company, I observed about a dozen resting 

 themselves on the muddy expanse. The tide had already begun to 

 flow, and the bird repast was over; a thick haze rested on the 

 water, and partially obscured that part of the bank nearest to it. 

 With a good glass, however, we made out the waders with ease, 

 and were much interested in observing their varied attitudes. 

 Several grey plovers were also close at hand, and a small troop of 

 sanderlings, ringed dotterel, and golden plover, the whole forming 

 as pleasant a group for out-door study as one could wish for in a 

 day's ramble. As the haze wore off, and the blue sky appeared, 

 the curtain seemed raised all round, till at length the sun shone 

 forth in his subdued strength and warmed the distant perspective 

 into a splendid view of the northern mountain peaks of the Ochills. 

 A broken foreground of rough stones, the middle distance a sweep 

 of mud and sand, and the blue Forth, on the other side of which 

 glimmered the white pillar of a river beacon, all combined 

 to make an agreeable picture, while the eye took in the far-off hills 

 and peaks, and rested there as if the composition of the landscape 

 were perfect. 



This bird appears to be a very common species in some parts 

 of Ireland, where, according to Mr Thompson, from two to three 

 hundred have been seen in a flock. I am not aware of such 

 numbers having been seen in any part of Scotland. From 

 Argyleshire to the west coast of Sutherland, where there are 

 numerous sea-lochs stretching inland for considerable distances, 

 the spring and autumnal flocks are comparatively small. At these 

 seasons their food appears to consist of small annelides and 

 crustaceans, such as burrow in mud and sand, or a mixture of 

 both. The female of this species is larger than the male. 



THE RUFF. 

 MACHETES PUG N AX. 



EXCEPT in a very few instances, and these chiefly in Ayrshire and 

 Renfrewshire, I have never met with the Ruff in the western 

 counties. It appears to affect the east coast principally, extending 

 from Berwickshire to Orkney and Shetland. The trending of the 

 Sol way Firth seems to check its progress northward on the west ; 



