SPORTING, 
"with quails, and, like them, weigh from six 
to eiglit ounces. 
Ruffs and Reeves are so diversified in co- 
lour, that scarcely two are ever found of 
the same appearance. The former are the 
males, and may be known by the ruffs 
about their throats : they are generally 
more numerous than the reeves, which are 
the females. The ruff grows large, but is 
very light ; rarely reaching beyond seven 
ounces ; though extending about two feet 
between the tips of the wings. These birds 
are found early in the spring, in the fens of 
Lincolnshire, and other low countries, but 
retire, no one knows whither, about Mi- 
chaelmas. The reeves lay four white eggs, 
marked with rusty spots. 
Plovers are of various kinds, but the 
sportsman pursues only the golden, the 
grey, and the peewhit, or lapwing. They 
generally weigh’ from seven to nine ounces, 
and visit us only from October to March ; 
and then in no great numbers. Look for 
them in ploughed fields. Few are shot, but 
many are netted ih grqen corn-fields near 
to water, to which they always resort after 
a meal, to w’ash their beaks ; their flesh is 
peculiarly delicate, and the eggs are sold 
by the London poulterers at the enormous 
price of four shillings per dozen. 
The Woodcock is a bird of passage, arriv- 
ing among us about Michaelmas, and re- 
tiring about March : they fly only by night. 
In the moonlights of November and De- 
cember, they may be heard passing from 
about ten till four ; they are, however, en- 
tirely guided by the wind : they are invari- 
ably preceded by the red-wing, and followed 
by the Royston crow. In the spring, when 
the wind is easterly, the v/oodcocks, assem- 
ble on our eastern coasts, linger among the 
furze, waiting for a westerly change, and 
may then be killed in great numbers. They 
rarely stay long in a place, but proceed 
from one spring-head to another ; thrusting 
their long beaks into the slime, and suck- 
ing the worms by which they are nourished. 
Tliey are particularly fond of such rills as 
lie within coppices and heavy woods : in 
such they take very short flights when 
rouzed, and will dog among the boughs in a 
surprising manner. It requires an excel- 
lent brace of spaniels, short rangers, and 
extremly vigorous, for this branch of shoot- 
ing : great numbers are caught in springes, 
set on the borders of lakes, &c. Woodcocks 
generally weigh from twelve to fourteen 
ounces ; but those that arrive early in the 
reason are the largest. When a woodcock 
rises, he invariably quits his trail, so that 
nothing is ever found in the intestine. It 
should be remarked, that some persons 
seek for woodcocks with pointers to whose 
necks small bells are suspended lo ronze 
the birds, which sometimes are either rtUa- 
ble, or averse, to move ; but we cannot 
think such a practice by any means likely 
to succeed. A person who marks well is 
a great aid in following this diversion. 
The Saipe is divided into three classes; 
the common, the jack, and the great. They 
all frequent our marshes in the winter sea- 
son, and are sometimes very numerous : 
some years since the Duke of Marlbo- 
rough’s game-keeper killed twenty-two 
snipes at one shot. The several kinds 
weigh from two to seven ounces ; but the 
great snipe is solitary, and has a beautifully 
coloured wing ; whence it is by many called 
the “ painted snipe.” During very cold 
weather, the snipes are apt to be on the 
wing ; but in the middle of the day, e.spe- 
cially when the- sun is bright, will lay so as 
even to be trod upon rather than flit. 
These birds frequent marshes, and are to 
be found on the banks of weedy, foul 
ditches, particularly where the soil is fat, 
and that vvorms abound. 
All the varieties of water-fowl, such as 
Geese of various descriptions. Ducks of 
ditto. Widgeons, Teal, Divers, Pentails, Po^ 
chords, &c. frequent our marshes chiefiy 
from October to February, and in general 
must be pursued in boats. To be equip- 
ped for this sport, it is essentially requisite 
to be well clothed ; flannel shirt and draw- 
ers, with additional exterior and interior 
garments, will be found indispensible when 
polling about the marshes, or when sta- 
tioned in a punt on the borders of the 
oozes. Water-proof boots are necessary, 
as are woollen gambadoes drawing up to the 
middle of the thigh at least. A cap made 
of skin must be worn, as the fowls will not 
approach persons wearing hats, of which 
they seem to entertain a peculiar dread. It 
is necessary, when firing at them while on 
the wing, to aim well before them ; it being 
ascertained that they fly at the rate of 
ninety miles within the hour ! During 
sharp frosts the sportsmen may, early in 
the morning, find excellent diversion where 
the brooks are only partially frozen : wher- 
ever there is a warm spring, there will he 
find fowls, provided the spot be at all se- 
questered, or is not overlooked. Immense 
numbers of water fowls are caught in de- 
coys, by means of some of their own spe- 
