MACHETES PUGNAX. 877 



other Waders. Von Heuglin observes that they often fly about at some distance from their feeding-grounds, 

 dashing about with a rapid Starling-like flight. Their food consists of insects, snails, worms, &c. ; and they 

 likewise eat grain, feeding, according to Jerdon, greedily on rice. The Ruff is noted for the boldness of its 

 disposition and the tremendous pugnacity of its nature during the breeding-season ; and it is during this 

 time that its habits are so interesting, and have always furnished so much material for the pen of the naturalist. 

 Its innate boldness is displayed from its earliest youth. The late Mr. H. Durnford writes as follows on his 

 observations of it in North Frisia : — " We observed some noble battles amongst the Ruffs, who, unless fighting, 

 stand bolt upright, like Owls. When engaged in combat they stoop and charge like Gamecocks. The 

 Reeves are silent except when they have young ; and then they will fly slowly round one, with a low guttural 

 note. On Fohr we observed one which, from its anxiety, betrayed the fact of its having young. We retired 

 behind the sea-wall, glasses in hand ; and after waiting a few minutes, three young ones ran out from the 

 grass, and then a fourth. Leaving my brother to watch, I jumped up and ran to catch them. They all 

 scuttled away ; and I could only secure one, the others escaping in the long grass. However, we again retired 

 to watch, behind the bank, and had not been there half a minute before they ran out again and began to feed 

 with their mother. I merely mention this incident to show their bold and fearless nature." 



Mr. Dresser writes as follows touching the Ruff's habits : —" Its flight, when not encumbered with the 

 ruff, is tolerably swift and direct ; but the ruff appears to be a considerable hindrance ; and it is always careful 

 to avoid getting the wind behind these feathers, for it is then scarcely able to steer itself. Its note is low, 

 and is seldom heard except during passage, and consists of tones like the syllables kack, kack, kick, kack. 

 Unlike most of the Waders, it is a very tough and hardy bird, and will often get away with a good deal of 

 shot in it ; and when wounded and caught alive it will frequently recover and thrive well. When caught it 

 soon becomes reconciled to captivity, and almost at first feeds greedily. 



" When the breeding-season commences the males collect (or ' hill' as it is called) and fight, probably 

 for the possession of the females ; but though their actions are fierce, and they appear to contend with great 

 ardour, they seldom harm one another. They are polygamous ; but, as a rule, it would seem that a male 

 shows greater preference for, and attaches himself more especially to, one favourite female." 



Large numbers of these birds used to be caught in the Lincolnshire fens and fattened for table. They 

 were captured by fowlers, who lived an obscure life in out-of-the-way places on the fens, and who sold them 

 to feeders, some of whom were noted for their cleverness in fattening them for the tables of the rich. 

 Montagu gives a long account, in his ' Ornithological Dictionary,' of the manner in which the Ruff was taken, 

 alluding to some of the most celebrated feeders who were in the trade in his time. I extract the following 

 from his notes : — " The manner of taking these birds is somewhat different in the two seasons. In the spring 

 the Ruffs hill, as it is termed ; that is, they assemble upon a rising spot of ground contiguous to where the Reeves 

 propose to deposit their eggs ; there they take their stand at a small distance from each other, and contend 

 for the females, after the nature of polygamous birds. This hill, or place of resort for love and battle, is 

 sought for by the fowler, who, from habit, discovers it by the birds having trodden the turf somewhat bare> 

 though not in a circle (as usually described). 



" When a hill has been discovered the fowler repairs to the spot before the break of day, spreads his net, 

 places his decoy-birds, and takes his stand at the distance of about 140 yards or more, according to the 



shyness of the birds. 



" The net is what is termed a single clap-net, about 17 feet in length and 6 feet wide, with a pole at each 

 end. This, by means of uprights fixed in the ground, and each furnished with a pulley, is easily pulled over 

 the birds within reach, and rarely fails taking all within its grasp ; but in order to give the pull the greatest 

 velocity the net is (if circumstances will permit) placed so as to fold over with the wind ; however, there are 

 some fowlers who prefer pulling it against the wind as for Plovers. As the Ruffs feed chiefly by night, they 

 repair to their frequented hill at the dawn of day nearly all at the same time ; and the fowler makes his first 

 pull according to circumstances, takes out his birds, and prepares for the stragglers who traverse the fens, 

 and who have no adopted hill ; these are caught singly, being enticed by the stuffed birds." 



Captured birds were sometimes used as decoy-birds; but usually the fowlers had recourse to very rudely 

 stuffed skins, some of which, writes Montagu, were managed " so as to be movable by means of a long string, 

 so that a jerk represents a jump (a motion very common amongst Ruffs, who at the sight of a wanderer flying 



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