246 SANDPIPER. 



last pretty long; the four middle tail feathers barred not unlike the 

 back ; the others plain brown ; legs dull yellow, claws black. 



The female, or Reeve, wants the ruff on the neck, and is smaller 

 than the male ; general colour brown ; the middle of each feather 

 dusky, in some parts almost black, the edges of the feathers very 

 pale ; primaries dusky, or black ; secondaries barred rufous brown 

 and black; belly, vent, and upper tail coverts, white; tail dusky; 

 legs as in the male. 



The male does not gain the ruff till the second season, both sexes 

 being at first much alike. In this state it is called a Stag, but 

 Mr. Pennant observes, that the cinereous brown wing, which both 

 sexes have, distinguishes this species from others very sufficiently ; 

 and the colour of the tail feathers being likewise taken into consi- 

 deration, no mistake is likely to happen : a want of attention to 

 these circumstances, has, in all probability, led authors into the error 

 of describing imperfect individuals as different species. 



These birds inhabit the North of Europe in summer, as far as 

 Iceland, as well as the northern marshes of Russia and Siberia; 

 arrive in England in the spring, chiefly in Lincolnshire,* the Isle 

 of Ely, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. The males are in much 

 greater number than the females ; hence the continual battles for the 

 sake of possession. The male chuses a stand on some dry bank near 

 a splash of water, running round a particular spot so often, as to 

 make a bare path : when the female appears, all the males contend 

 for the prize, and battles ensue, nor will any two males suffer each 

 other to infringe on his circle. 



* Particularly in the West Fen ; they visit the Martin Mere, in Lancashire, the latter 

 end of March, or beginning of April, but do not continue there above three weeks.— Br. 

 Zool. Ruffs are become more scarce, since a large tract of land has been drained, and 

 may probably, as agriculture increases, be entirely driven from the Island. — Orn. Diet. 

 The whole account of the manner of taking these birds in the said Work, is well worth 

 perusing. 



