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8 



In Asia it has been observed across to Kamtchatka and southward to Ceylon. Eichwald 

 records it from the Caspian ; and Dr. Jerdon writes that it visits India during the cold season in 

 large numbers. " In Oudh and Kumaon it is " (Colonel Irby writes, Ibis, 1861, p. 241) " found in 

 immense flocks in the cold season ; I have seen some flocks of certainly not less than from three 

 to four hundred on the rice-stubbles near Khyreegur ; those which I shot were full of rice, and 

 were well worth shooting for the table. I never saw one with a ruff; but Mr. Blyth has kept 

 them alive in Calcutta till the ruff appeared." It appears only to have been once obtained in 

 Ceylon, a specimen having been shot in March last near Kirinde, on the south-east coast, by 

 Captain Wade, 57th Regiment, as recorded by Captain Legge (Ibis, 1878, p. 204). 



Passing north again, I find that, according to Dr. Henderson (Lah. to Yark. p. 287), "Ruffs 

 and Reeves were very common in the immediate neighbourhood of the city of Yarkand, where 

 also they undoubtedly breed. Numerous specimens obtained between the end of August and 

 the beginning of September exhibited more or less of the rich colouring of the breeding-season ; 

 but the males had quite lost their ruffs." It ranges tolerably far north in Siberia. Von Midden- 

 dorff says that he saw flocks on the 11th August, in 75° N. lat., which had probably bred on the 

 Arctic ocean. Numbers arrived on the Boganida on the 27th May, and on the 15th June eggs 

 were found. Von Schrenck never observed it in the spring in South-east Siberia, and is sure 

 that it does not occur there on the Tarei-nor ; but large flocks were seen in the autumn near 

 Durulungui, on the Onon, where they appeared on the 10th August. Dr. Dybowski says (J. f. O. 

 1873, p. 103) that it is rather rare than otherwise in Kultuk (where it arrives early in September), 

 but it is more numerous in the district of Darasun. I do not find it recorded from either China 

 or Japan ; nor did Colonel Prjevalsky meet with it in Mongolia. 



It is recorded from the Nearctic Region as a rare straggler, having occurred, Professor Baird 

 says (B. of N. Am. p. 737), several times on Long Island ; and according to Herr von Pelzeln 

 (Ibis, 1875, p. 332), a single example was obtained by Herr Miinzberg in Spanish Guiana, in 

 the Neotropical Region. 



In general habits, except during the pairing-season, the present species does not differ much 

 from the other allied Waders, and resembles perhaps the Totanidae more than any others. 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, hack, 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 espe- 

 cially to one favourite female. During the season when the males " hill " they are most easily 

 caught ; and in our fen-districts large numbers used formerly to be caught and fattened for the 

 table. Montagu (Orn. Diet. 2nd ed. pp. 442-446) gives some interesting notes on this subject, 



