VOL. XV.] NOTES. 21 



RUFF FEEDING UPON GRAIN. 



Towards the end of December 1920 Ruffs and Reeves 

 {Philomachus piignax) appeared in the country around Wad 

 Medani, in the Bkie Nile province of the Sudan, and were 

 still present there in large numbers at the end of February 

 1921, when I left to proceed on leave to England. Near Wad 

 Medani the Sudan Plantations Syndicate have their irrigated 

 cotton estates at Taiba and Barakat, and owing to the 

 unusually heavy rains which fell last autumn the natives had 

 planted a very large area of unirrigated land with durra 

 \Soyghum) . 



In the early mornings in February between 6.30 and 8.30 

 I have seen flocks varying from some fifty to a couple of 

 hundred Ruffs and Reeves on these unwatered durra lands. 

 At this time of year the durra had all been cut and either lay 

 in dumps, awaiting thrashing or ready to be transported to 

 the owner's village or the market at Medani, in sacks upon the 

 backs of camels or donkeys. The birds found plenty of grain 

 around the dumps and thrashing-floors and also on the tracks 

 by which the grain was being transported. I have seen flocks 

 of Ruffs behaving like Sparrows on these roads, eagerly 

 devouring grain which had fallen from the backs of laden 

 animals. They never allowed me to ride nearer than about 

 thirty yards, even though I rode towards them sideways and 

 pretending that my attentions were occupied elsewhere. 

 They would fly farther down the track or return eagerly to 

 the interrupted meal when I moved on. 



The contents of the crops and gizzards ot birds shot is 

 shown in the table below. No trace of food other than durra 

 was found in any of these birds. Some of them were quite 

 packed with grain right up into the bill. 



Table showing Contents of Crops and Gizzards of Ruffs 

 AND Reeves Shot on the Gezira Research Farm, 

 Wad Medani. 



