444 



RUFF. 



Nothing can more strongly evince the hardy constitution of these 

 birds, than the performance of such a journey, so soon after capture, 

 and necessarily fed with a food wholly new to them ; and yet a certain 

 degree of care and attention is requisite to preserve, and more especi- 

 ally to fatten them ; for out of the seventeen dozen delivered at the 

 castle of Dublin, not more than two dozen were served up to table, 

 doubtless entirely owing to a want of knowledge, or attention of the 

 feeder, under whose care they had been placed. 



The manner of taking these birds is somewhat different in the two 

 seasons ; in the spring, the Ruffs hill, as it is termed ; that is, they 

 assemble upon a rising spot of ground, contiguous to where the Reeves 

 propose to deposit their eggs ; there they take their stand, at a small 

 distance from each other, and contend for the females ; the nature of 

 polygamous birds. This hill, or place of resort for love and battle, is 

 sought for by the fowler, who, from habit, discovers it by the birds 

 having trodden the turf somewhat bare, though not in a circle as 

 usually described. 



When a hill has been discovered, the fowler repairs to the spot 

 before the break of day, spreads his net, places his decoy birds, and 

 takes his stand at the distance of about 140 yards, or more, according 

 to the shyness of the birds. 



The net is what is termed a single clap-net, about seventeen feet in 

 length, and six wide, with a pole at each end; this, by means of 

 uprights fixed in the ground, and each furnished with a pulley, is easily 

 pulled over the birds within reach, and rarely fails taking all within its 

 grasp ; but in order to give the pull the greatest velocity, the net is 

 (if circumstances will permit) placed so as to fold over with the wind : 

 however, there are some fowlers, who prefer pulling it against the 

 wind for plovers. As the Ruffs feed chiefly by night, they repair to 

 their frequented hill at the dawn of day, nearly all at the same time, 

 and the fowler makes his first pull according to circumstances, takes 

 out his birds, and prepares for the stragglers who traverse the fens, and 

 who have no adopted hill ; these are caught singly, being enticed by the 

 stuffed birds. 



Burton, who was before mentioned, never used any thing but stuffed 

 skins, executed in a very rude manner ; but some fowlers keep the first 

 Ruffs they catch for decoy birds ; these have a string of about two feet 

 long tied above the knee, and fastened down to the ground. The stuffed 

 skins are sometimes so managed as to be moveable by means of a long 

 string, so that a jerk represents a jump, (a motion very common amongst 

 Ruffs, who at the sight of a wanderer flying by, will leap or flirt a yard 



