RUM 
the bread are black or dufkyj the four exterior 
oiies of the tail are of a cinereous brov/n ; and the 
four middle ones are barred with black and 
brown. The bill is black towards the end, and 
red at the bafe; and the legs are yellow. 
This bird, in moulting, lofesthe neck-feathers ; 
nor do tbey return again till the enfuing fpring, 
when a fet of fmall pear-fliaped yellow pimples 
break out on the face above the bill. I'he male 
birds of the firft year want thefe marks; and the 
more they advance in age, the more numerous 
are the pimples, and the fullt-r and longer the 
tufts. The length of the male, from the bill to 
the tip of the tail, is twelve inches; and the great- 
eft expanfion of the wings is twenty-four. The 
Reeve is about ten inches long, and nineteen 
broad: the former weighs feven ounces and a 
half; but the latter only four. 
The Reeve never changes it's colour, which Is 
brown: the back is fpotted with black, (lightly 
edged with white; the tail is brown, the middle 
feathers being fpotted with black; the bread and 
belly are white; and the legs are of a pale dull 
yellow hue. 
Thefe birds, which are migratory, arrive in 
this country early in the fpring, and difappear 
about Michaelmas. They build in fome parts of 
iJncolnfliire, particularly near Croyland; and are 
alfo fuund in the lOe of Ely, in the Eaft Riding 
of Yorkfliire, and for a (hort time annually near 
Martin-Mere in Lancalhire. They lay four 
white eggs, marked with large rufty fpots, in a 
tuft of grafs, during the firft week in May ; and 
fit about a month. Soon after their arrival, the 
m.ales begin to hill, as it is termed; that is, to af- 
lemble on fome dry bank, near a pool of water, in 
expedlation of the females, which refort to them. 
Each male keeps poffelTion of a fmall piece of 
grou.nd, which he perambulates till the grafs is 
quire worn away, and nothing but a naked circle 
is left ; and, as foon as a female alights, the Ruffes 
befrin an engagement. When a fowler difcovers 
one of thofe hills, he places his net at night; and 
at day-break reforting to his ftand, takes thofe 
birds which ai'e within his reach at the firft pull: 
he then fixes his ftales, or fluffed birds, in order 
to entice thofe which are traverfing the fen; and 
•after this manner he fometimes catches forty or 
fifty dozen in one feafon. 
When thefe birds firft arrive, the males are con- 
fiderably the moft numerous ; but, by reafon of 
tlieir continual combats, the number foon finks 
beneath an equality. After being taken, they 
are fed with bread and milk, hemp-feed, and 
boiled wheat; to which, if expedition is requifite, 
fugar is added, which foon renders them ama- 
zingly fat. They are killed by cutting off their 
heads widi a pair of fciffars; and, confidering 
their fize, are extremely replete with blood. 
They are dreffcd with their inteftines, after the 
fafhion of woodcocks; and when killed at the 
proper feafon, are reckoned the moft delicious 
treat of modern epicures. 
RUMINANT. A term ufed to exprefs fuch 
animals as chew the cud; of which kind are 
oxen, fliecp, deer, goats, camels, hares, and fquir- 
rels. 
Ruminants, fays Ray, are all quadrupedal, 
hairy, and viviparous: fome have hollow and 
perpetual horns; others deciduous ones. The 
horned Ruminants have all fourftomachs, appro- 
priated to that office; they wane the dentes pri- 
R Y N 
mores, or broad teeth, in the upper jaw ; and they 
afford that hard kind of fat, called fuet, which in 
them is firmer and lefs liquifiable than that of 
other animals. 
_ RUNT. An appellation by which ornitholo- 
gifts exprefs a fpecies of pigeon; of which there 
are fcveral varieties, particularly the Leghorn, 
Spanifh, and Frlefiand Runts. ' The Cokimba 
Domeftlca Pifarum, Hifpanice, et Frifias, of 
Moore. 
The Leghorn Runt is a fine large pigeon, 
clofe-feathered, and flat-fleflied; extremely broad- 
breafted, and very ftiort in the back. It carries 
it's tail in walking fom.evv^hat like a duck; it's 
neck is confiderably longer than that of any other 
pigeon, and arched like the neck of a goofe ; it's 
head refembles that of a fwan; it's beak is very 
Ihort, and wattled; and the upper chap falls a 
little over. This is a very valuable fpecies; but 
it's great delicacy renders care neceflary to it's 
prefervation. 
The Spanlfti Runt has the longeft body of any 
pigeon: it is Ihort-legged, and loofc-feathered j 
and it's colours are extremely various. 
The Friefland Runt is a large bird; and has 
all it's feathers reverted, appearing as if placed 
the contrary way. 
Runt is aifo a name by which fome authors 
exprefs a Canary bird of the age of three years. 
Runt is likewife an appellation for the fmall 
black cattle brought from Scotland and Wales. 
RUPICAPRA. a fpecies of goat: called 
alfo the chamois. See Goat, Chamois. 
RUSTICULA. A name by which Ibme or- 
nithologifts exprefs the godwit; called alfo the 
nsgocephalus. 
RUTICILLA. A fpecies of the mufcicapa, 
or fly-catcher, in the Linnfean fyftem. This 
bird is a native of America: it's body is wholly 
black, except the breaft, the bafe of tl;e prim.ary 
and fecondary wing-feathers, and thofe of the tail, 
which are yellow. There is likewife a yellow fpoc 
on the wings. 
RuTiciLLA is alfo a claffical term for the red- 
ftart. 
RUTILUS. A claffical appellation for the 
roach. See Roach. 
RUTILUS LATIOR. A name by which 
fome ichthyologifts exprefs the fifli denominated 
the rudd in Englifti; the Rubellio Fluviatilis of 
Latinifts in general. 
RYNCHOPS; the Skimmer, or Cut- Water. 
A genus of anferes in the Linn^an fyftem : the 
chara6lers of which are; that the bill is ftraightj 
that the upper mandible is much Ihorter than the 
lower, and truncated at the extremity; that the 
noftrils are linear and pervious; that the tail is 
nightly forked ; and that there is a fmall back 
toe. 
LlnnsEus enumerates two fpecies: one of which 
is blackifh above, and white below, with it's bill 
red at the bafe; and the other is yellow, with a 
black bill; and by Briffon reckoned a variety of 
the former. Both thefe birds are natives of Ame- 
rica. 
The appellation Rynchops is derived from 
Rugchos, a Bill; and Koptein, To cut, becaufe 
the upper mandible appears as If cut off. 
Pennant gives this bird the name of Skimmer, 
from the manner of it's collefting It's food, with 
it's lower mandible, as it files along the furface 
of the water. 
s. 
