460 R U F F: Class II. 



birds that he finds within reach : after that he 

 places his fluff: birds or ftales to entice thofe that are 

 continually traverfing the fen. An old fowler told 

 me, he once caught forty-four birds at the firfl: 

 hawl, and in ail fix dozen that morning. When 

 the ftales are fet, feldom more than two or three 

 are taken at a time. A fowler will take forty 

 or fifty dozens in a feafon. 



Thefe birds are found in Lincolnflrire> the IJle 

 oj 'Ely -, and in the eaft riding of Tor kjhire* ; where 

 they are taken in nets, and fattened for the table, 

 with bread and milk, hempfeed, and fometimes 

 boiled wheat ; but if expedition is required, fugar 

 is added, which will make them in a fortnight's 

 time a lump of fat : they then fell for two millings 

 or half a crown a piece. Judgement is required 

 in taking the proper time for killing them, when 

 they are at the higheft pitch of fatnefs, for if that 

 is neglected, the birds are apt to fall away. The 

 method of killing; them is by cutting off their 



C? t JO 



head with a pair of fcirTars : the quantity of blood 

 that iflues is very great, confidering the fize of 

 the bird. They are drefTed like the woodcock, 

 with their interlines •, and, when killed at the criti- 

 cal time, fay the Epicures, are reckoned the mod 

 delicious of all morfels, 



* They viiit a place called Martin-Mere in Lancajhire, the 

 latter end of March or beginning of April, but do not continue 

 there above three weeks. 



m 



