40 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



similar pursuits — and strange to say, that although 

 the man had constantly sold Ruffs to Mr, Towns, 

 a noted feeder, hereafter more particularly noticed, 

 as also another feeder at Cowbit, by the name of 

 Weeks, neither of these persons could be induced 

 to inform us even of the name of this fowler. The 

 reason, however, was evident, and justly remarked 

 by Burton, for he obtained no more than ten 

 shillings per dozen, whereas Weeks demanded 

 thirty shillings for the like number he had the 

 same day bought of Burton. The season was far 

 advanced, and we were obliged to buy some at that 

 price from Weeks, for Burton could not then catch 

 as many as we required. At this time we were 

 shown into a room, where there were about seven 

 dozen males and a dozen females, and of the former 

 there were not two alike. This intrusion to choose 

 our birds drove them from their stands, and com- 

 pelling some to trespass upon the premises of others, 

 produced many battles. By this feeder we learned 

 that two guineas a dozen was now the price of 

 fattened Ruffs ; and he never remembered the price 

 under thirty shillings when fit for table. Mr. 

 Towns, the noted feeder at Spalding, assured us his 

 family had been a hundred years in the trade ; 

 boasted that they had served George II. and many 

 noble families in the kingdom. He undertook, at 

 the desire of the late Marquis of Townsend (when 

 that nobleman was Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland), to 

 take some Ruffs to that country, and actually set off 

 with twenty-seven dozen from Lincolnshire, left 



