THE RUFF. 



THE Ruff is about a foot in length, with a 

 bill of about an inch. The face is covered with 

 yellow pimples ; and the back part of the head 

 and neck are furnished with long feathers, 

 standing out somewhat like the ruff worn by 

 our ancestors; a few of these feathers stand 

 up over each eye, and appear not unlike ears. 

 The colours of the Ruffs are in no two birds 

 alike : in general they are brownish, and barred 

 with black ; though some have been seen that 

 were altogether white. The female, which is 

 called the Reeve, is smaller than the male, of 

 a brown colour, and destitute of the ruff on the 

 neck. The Ruffs are much more numerous 

 than the Reeves, and they have many severe 

 contentions for their mates. The male chooses 

 a stand on some dry bank, near a splash of 

 water, round which he runs so often as to make 

 a bare circular path: the moment a female 

 comes in sight, all the males within a certain 



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