THE RUFF. 
The Ruff is about a foot in length, with a 
bill of about an inch. The face is covered with 
yellow pimples ; and the back part of the head 
and neck are furnished with long feathers, 
standing out somewhat like the ruff worn by 
our ancestors ; a few of these feathers stand 
up over each eye, and appear not unlike ears. 
The colours of the Ruffs are in no two birds 
alike : in general they are brownish, and barred 
with black ; though some have been seen that 
were altogether white. The female, which is 
called the Reeve, is smaller than the male, of 
a brown colour, and destitute of the ruff on the 
neck. The Ruffs are much more numerous 
than the Reeves, and they have many severe 
contentions for their mates. The male chooses 
a stand on some dry bank, near a splash of 
water, round which he runs so often as to make 
a bare circular path: the moment a female 
comes in sight, all the males within a certain 
