RUFF. 



445 



off the ground) by that means inducing- those on wing- to come and 

 alight by him. 



The stuffed birds are prepared by filling the skin with a whisp of 

 straw tied together, the legs having been first cut off, and the skin 

 afterwards sewed along the breast and belly, but with no great attention 

 to cover the straw beneath : into this straw a stick is thrust, to fix it 

 into the ground, and a peg is also thrust through the top of the head, 

 and down the neck into the stuffing or straw body, and the wings are 

 closed by the same process. Rough as this preparation is, and as un- 

 like a living bird as skin and feathers can be made, it answers all the 

 purpose. 



When the Reeves begin to lay, both those and the Ruffs are least 

 shy, and so easily caught, that a fowler assured us he could with cer- 

 tainty take every bird on the fen in the season. The females continue 

 this boldness, and their temerity increases as they become broody ; on 

 the contrary, we found the males at that time could not be approached 

 within the distance of musket shot, and consequently were far beyond 

 the reach of small shot. 



We were astonished to observe the property that these fowlers have 

 acquired, of distinguishing so small an object as a Ruff at such an im- 

 mense distance, which, amongst a number of tufts or tumps, could not 

 by us be distinguished from one of those inequalities ; but their eyes 

 had been in long practice of looking for the one object. 



The autumnal catching is usually about Michaelmas, at which time 

 few old males are taken, from which an opinion has been formed that 

 they migrate before the females and young. It is, however, more pro- 

 bable, that the few which are left after the spring fowling, like other 

 polygamous birds, keep in parties separate from the female and her 

 brood till the return of spring. That some old Ruffs are occasionally 

 taken in the autumnal fowling, we have the assertion of experienced 

 fowlers, but we must admit that others declare none are taken at this 

 season. It must, however, be recollected, that in the autumn, the cha- 

 racteristic long feathers have been discharged, and consequently young 

 and old males have equally their plain dress : but the person who 

 assured us that old male birds were sometimes taken at that season, de- 

 clared it was easy to distinguish them from the young of that summer. 



It does not appear to be the opinion of fowlers, that the males are 

 more than one season arriving at maturity, because the Ruffs taken in 

 the spring, destitute of the characteristic long feathers, which consti- 

 tute their principal distinction, are comparatively few to those possess- 



