1 . 
lUJFF. 
settled down ; after remaining some time she was easily approached and obtained. Shortly after a Ruff that had 
joined a large flock of Knots was killed hy a shot from the punt-gun, as they were on the point of alighting to the 
dummies. Ihe unfortunate Knots suffered considerably, as over thirty were picked up, having fallen among the 
decoys. The last Ruff that I observed this season Avas a single bird with a flock of about a dozen Golden Plover 
on the 6th of September. Attracted hy the dummies, they flew across the hows of the punt at a reasonable 
distance, and the big gun was discharged ; eight of the Plovers dropped at once, but tlie Ruff continued his 
course as if uninjured, though he seemed to flinch when the shot Avas fired. While proceeding to pick up the 
slain, I heard one of the men exclaim “ He ’s down.” On producing the glasses a speck was seen on the w^ater, 
and one of the punts being despatched toAA'ards the spot, the bird Avas discovered and brought hack. 
There was a great falling-off this year in the numbers of Ruffs and Reeves ; I did not obs”erve above a dozen all 
through August and September. The season before, hundreds frequented the flats early in September, and they 
continued to arrive till the 25th of the month, when I fell in with and shot the last straggler. Over a hundred 
and fifty w^ere obtained with the assistance of the punt- and shoulder-guns ; the greater number, hoAvever, Avere 
killed Avhile firing at other Waders. 
I have ascertained, by examining my notes, that on the 30th of June, heavy rain having fallen during the 
night, and squalls of wind continued from the north and east, there were in the morning numerous flocks of 
A\ aders on the marshes round Ilickling Broad. About twenty Ruffs and Reeves and as many AVood-Sandpipers 
were on Rush Hills, and several Curlew and flocks of Dunlins appeared on Aving as soon as I fired a shot. A 
dozen Reeves and two AA^ood-Sandpipers Avere picked up, several that Avere wounded escaping into the thick 
cover about the swamps, where it Avas impossible to follow them over the waving bogs. After this the birds 
oecame remarkably wild : in the afternoon the Ruffs had disappeared, and the AA^ood-Sandpipers were scattered 
in small parties of two or three, or perhaps double that number, over the slades on the different hills and 
marshes. 
>-efci-once to KufTs in my notes till after ton years, when I again liappened to be at 
otter lleigliani in April 1883. On reaching the Broail at daybreak on tlio 20tli, the wind blowing strong from 
ho south east, I put up two Ruffs on Kush Hills, but uiifortunately they rose out of range and made off at once 
towards the east ; there were also eight IVigeon, a pair of Garganey, and a single Teal on the various slades on 
hill, riic wind was still from the same quarter the following morning, and two Ruffs and a Reeve were 
moving abou and ceding on the centre of Rush Hills ; one of the males showed a brown frill, and the other 
was sandy-coloured, but neither was quite perfect. It was impossible to get within shot of either punt- or 
shoulder-gun. so m order to put them up. in hopes they might pass at a moderate distance, we despatched oL of the 
boats to go round and attempt to drive them in a line for the position we had taken up. A Ruff, entirely black 
which had escaped notice behind a patch of rushes, was the first to start, and he instantly joined the othel when 
Sratir" 
On Saturfay the 28th. the wind had veered more to the east; on our way down to the Broad the 
Grasshopper-Warbler was heard for the first time that season. The party of Ruffs seen the previous dry we 
now on Swimeoats. but proved e.xeeedingly wild, and there was not a chance to get within ra, me foT^ sTot 
ley were evidently only on their way to “ lauds ayont the sea” •. as they were gone the nc.vt day. Rain fell 
• In ‘ The Moor and the Loch ’ (by J. Colquhoun, 1840) we find 
“ Ilk flow’r that blooms on foreign fell 
Wad mind me o’ the heather-bell ; 
Ilk little streamlet’s jeuk and turn 
^\ ad mind me o’ Glenourock burn ; 
Lands may be fair ayont the sea, 
But Ilieland hills and lochs for me ! ” 
