Rurr. GRALLATORES. MACHETES. 133 
shades, according to the intensity or want of colour in the 
ruff. During the remainder of the year, or when divested 
of these periodical appendages, they are more uniform in 
colour ; though the birds that assume a black or white frill, 
may usually be distinguished by the comparative darkness 
or paleness of the head and neck. The females, generally 
called Reeves, are much inferior in size to the males,—an- 
other circumstance in which they differ from their congeners. 
They possess no elongated feathers, and the plumage of 
summer varies but little from that of autumn and winter ; 
they live in the marshes, and resort (as I have before ob- 
served) to the hills of the male birds at stated periods. 
The place selected for nidification ts commonly of the most 
swampy nature, abounding in tufts of tall grass and other 
marshy plants, and upon these the nest is formed, being a 
slight depression only, lined with coarse grass and herbage. 
The eggs, four in number, are in colour and markings very 
like those of the Common Snipe, but rather larger. The 
young are excluded in July, and by the end of August, or 
the beginning of September, are fully fledged; soon after 
which they congregate, and with the old females leave the 
kingdom upon their equatorial migration. The flesh of the 
Ruff is much esteemed, and these birds consequently bring 
a high price in the market ; on which account, the trade of 
catching them is still pursued by fowlers in the fens of 
Lincolnshire, and other places where they abound. From 
Monracu (who made a tour through that county for the 
purpose of gaining information respecting this bird), it ap- 
pears that they are taken at two different seasons, viz. in 
spring, when the old males are captured at the time of héll- 
img; and in September, after the young are fledged, and 
immediately previous to their leaving the kingdom. They 
are all caught alive, by means of clap-nets, into which they 
are enticed by stuffed skins and other devices, and afterwards 
fattened for the table in confinement; it being a peculiar 
character of this bird to feel but little alarm, and even to 
2 
Nest, &c. 
