RUF1\ 
3 
Down at ITickling Droad before dayliglit on tlie 27th, and a man at work on the nortli side of the water informed 
us that two Ruffs and a Reeve liad just pitehed on Rush Hills. We seulled all round the hill, hut were unable 
to catch sight of them ; then turning the punt we prejiared to cross to Swimcoats, when a Ruff passed and 
alighted near the point of Rush Hills which we had just left. It would have been easy to get within twenty 
yards, as he had dropped down among some small patches of rushes, hut three Swans swimming ahead of our 
boat alarmed him, and rising on wing he flew about a hundred yards further along the side of the hill. As he 
did not, however, seem to he out of range from the water, w'e made another attempt, and sculling in as close as 
possible, I stood up and cautiously inspected the ground beyond the hank. The bird was standing quietly on the 
look-out at the distance of about fifty yards, and as he sprung from the ground I fired, when his wing was 
broken, and little trouble was given in securing him, owing to the scarcity of thick cover on this part of the 
hill. On examination it was ascertained that he had attained very good plumage, the ruff being of a dark red 
tint stiiped with black, the whole having a glossy metallic shade not unlike the colouring of a cock Pheasant. 
As this proved to be the handsomest specimen I obtained, he is represented in one of the Plates. 
On the 8th of September, while in the punt on Rreydon, I shot a Ruff that was feeding on the side of the 
channel near the Lumps; the following day an immature Ruff, a bird of the year, was shot in Bessie’s drain. 
The “dummies ” were then put out, and a Ruff and Reeve settled down to them ; I did not, however, molest 
them, and they remained an hour and a half before they took their departure. There were a great number of 
Ruffs and Reeves on the 12th, and several were obtained. Capital sport was had with the young Grey Plover 
on the 25th of the month, and about half a dozen good shots with the big gun were made. Several Ruffs were 
also obtained, one of which was a most remarkable bird, coloured very strongly with rufous tints about the 
neck and breast. 
During the cold wintry weather in December 1871, when the Broad was “ laid ” with ice *, Xud (the Hickling 
keeper) saw a bird he believed to be a Ruff, but was of opinion that this species is only to be observed in this 
country during spring, summer, and autumn. I am aware it is unusual to find them during winter; they do, 
however, occasionally put in an appearance, as when shooting on Pevensey Level in December, 1859, two were 
obtained a few days before the end of the month. Immense numbers of AYildfowl were then in that district, 
and in most instances fell easy victims, being weakened and wmrn out by exposure to the long-continued 
severity of the weather. 
H bile working at our boat-house in the Ileigham corner of Hickling Broad on the 18th of October, 1881, I 
noticed a Ruff and a couple of Peewits circle round and settle down on the south point of Swimcoats : the big gun 
was not on board, so the large punt worked easily and I sculled rapidly across ; luckily the birds proved utterly 
unsuspicious of danger, and the three were turned over by the two barrels of my 10-bore breechloader. The 
Ruff weighed 8 oz., and exhibited the usual brown mottled plumage of autumn : the upper mandible was 
almost black, the lower a flesh tint near the base and pale horn at the point ; the legs a light olive-brown, 
with a yellow tinge about the joints and on the toes. Por the next few days there were numbers of Ruffs and 
Reeves about Rush Hills, and several were obtained, all being easily approached when feeding on the slades 
within reach of the water, where the punt could be worked. This species usually holds a great reputation for 
the table, and these proved quite equal, if not superior, to Snipes and Plovers. 
■While shooting on Breydon on the 28th of August, 1872, I noticed a Ruff feeding on the flats near the 
Lower Dram with a flock of Dunlins. They proved restless, and would not allow the punt within distance ; 
later in the day, however, they flew past within thirty yards, when the Ruff fell to the shoulder-gun together 
with over a score of his small companions. He turned out to be an exceedingly large specimen, of course now 
in his autumn plumage. 
On the 3rd of September, after the dummies had been put out on the Lumps, a Reeve was attracted and 
* lliG Datives of the east of Norfolk thus speak of the Broad when it is frozeu over. 
