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ORD. I. GENUS VI. SANDPIPER. 



Bill, ftraight, flender; not more than an inch and half long. 



Nostrils, fmall. 



Tongue, flender. 



Toes, divided; the two outermoft generally connected at bottom by a fmall membrane. 



SPECIES I. RUFF. 

 PI. 167. 



Tringa pugnax. Lin. SyJI. I. p. 247. 



Le Combattant, ou Paon de Mer. Brif. Orn. V. p. 240. 



Of the male of this bird, when in high plumage, a general defcription will fcarcely 

 ferve, as no two have been feen precifely the fame in their markings. In length it is 

 about one foot, to the tip of the tail ; in breadth, two : the bill is above an inch in length, 

 and varies from dufky yellow to black : the whole face is covered with a number of yel- 

 low pimples, confpicuous only in the breeding feafon : the eyes are hazel : the ground 

 colour of the plumage is brown ; and the feathers are more or lefs barred with black : 

 the lower part of the belly, vent, and upper tail coverts, white : the back part of the head 

 and neck are furnifhed with long feathers, ftanding out like a rufF; and in fome a portion 

 ftands up over each eye, refembling ears : the feathers of this rufF are in fome, perhaps 

 the older birds, white, in others black, but for the moft part barred with black, as well as 

 blotched with various colours : the four middle tail feathers moftly barred as the back ; 

 the others, plain brown : legs dull yellow. 



The female, called a reeve, is fmaller than the male, or ruff; and the colours of her 

 plumage are fainter, and not liable to the variation obferved in the male. She alfo wants 

 the pimples on the face, and the ruff, which the male does not get till the fecond feafon. 

 Indeed both the male and female are much alike, except in the breeding feafon, when the 

 male acquires his diftinguiihing marks, and variations in his plumage. 



This fpecies comes to us in the fpring, and breeds with us, departing in autumn. The 

 female lays four eggs, in a tuft of grafs, about the month of May : fee PI. XXXVII, 

 Fig. I. The moft diftinguiihing quality of thefe birds is the propenfity to fighting in the 

 males. They feem fond of conforting together, however, for wherever you find a cou- 

 ple, you may be certain there are more near, and they fly in companies very amicably : 

 but each male appears to arrogate to himfelf a certain walk on the ground, and if another 

 fhould trefpafs upon it, a battle would infallibly enfue. They fight in the fame manner 

 as the cock. When taken they do not weigh half a pound ; but they grow extremely- 

 fat, if properly fed, and are then much prized by epicures. 



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