CXXIV. 

 MACHETES PUGNAX. (Cuvier. 



Ruff (Male.) Reeve (Female.) 



The Ruff which breeds in some of the fenny districts of 

 Lincolnshire and Cambridge, seems to prefer those of the 

 most swampy nature and covered with coarse grass, sedge, 

 and other plants ; many of them breeding together in the same 

 marsh, in which such favourable situations occur. The nest 

 which is placed amongst the coarse herbage, is of grass, and 

 other similar materials, by which it is surrounded. 



The eggs (it is almost unnecessary to state) are invariably 

 four, such l>eing the case, as I have before mentioned, 

 with regard to all this class of birds, unless, having been 

 plundered of their first eggs, they are driven to a second 

 laying, in which case the number may be found deficient. 

 In colour and markings they differ much, those from 

 which the Plate is drawn, were sent me by my friend 

 Mr. Doubleday, who has selected them from numbers, 

 which are brought annually to the Leadenhall market, 

 amongst the numerous representatives of those of the Peewit ; 

 Mr. Doubleday tells me, that some of these eggs are of 

 a beautiful clear green, when fresh, which is peculiar to 

 them, and which they soon afterwards lose : I regret 

 much not being able to colour my plate from fresh 

 specimens ; the eggs are a good deal like those of the 

 Snipe and Redshank, from the first they diflTer in being 

 larger, and from the latter in the an'angement of the spots, 

 which is readily seen, but difficult to describe; they are 

 seldom so pointed at the smaller end. Fig. 1 may be taken 

 as the best representation of the usual contour; Fig. 2, 

 I think, shows the arrangement of spots, which is most cha- 



