Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Totanus. 



Subfamily TotaninjE. 



RUFF. 



TOTANUS PUGNAX— (Z?;z««2<j-). 



Geographical Distribution.— 5«Vm/^ .• Formerly bred in 

 many of the English marshes ; a few pairs still continue to do so in 

 Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Most abundant on spring and autumn 

 passage, but of less frequent occurrence on the west coasts than 

 on the east. Occurs on the Orkneys, and Shetlands, and the 

 Outer Hebrides. Of regular appearance in Ireland on migration. 

 Foreign : Northern Palaearctic region ; Ethiopian and Oriental 

 regions in winter. Breeds from the highest known land across 

 Europe, and Asia as far east as the Taimyr peninsula, south to 

 Belgium, Germany, and the valley of the Danube ; in Europe and 

 in Asia south to the Kirghiz steppes, Western Dauria, and per- 

 haps the valley of the Amoor. Passes through the basins of the 

 Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas on migration, and 

 winters throughout Africa south to Cape Colony, in Northern 

 India, and in Burma. Wanderers on migration have occurred 

 in Ceylon, Borneo, Japan, Kamtschatka, Behring Island, Canada, 

 the eastern United States, Spanish Guiana, the Faroes, and 

 Iceland. 



Allied Forms. — None of sufiScient propinquity to need 

 mention. 



Time during which the Ruff may be taken.— August ist 

 to March ist. 



Habits. — The Ruff is rather a late bird of passage. Ac- 

 cording to Irby the migration of .this species at Gibraltar com- 

 mences in January, and continues until the end of May ; but as 

 the bird does not arrive in Germany or Holland until the beginning 



