Nov., 1882.] 
AND CM 
The Ruff {Machetes pugnax .) — The Ruff 
is a native of Europe, Asia and Africa and 
is a rare visitor to North America. It fre- 
quents bogs and marshy ground, being 
met with far inland. Ruffs and Reeves 
(the females) used to be found in large 
numbers in the English fens, but since the 
drainage and cultivation of the fens and 
marshes they have only been rare visitors 
to England. In Winter the males and fe- 
males are scarcely to be distinguished from 
each other, but in the Spring the males as- 
sume splendid ruffs or collars and become 
very fine birds indeed. They vary much 
in plumage, it being scarcely possible to 
find two specimens alike. Their peculiar 
and striking appearance has no doubt been 
one of the causes of their being shot down. 
Ruffs and Reeves used to be in great request 
for the table, and were captured in large 
numbers by means of nets which were set 
among the places frequented by the Ruffs 
for the purpose of fighting. The captured 
birds were fed upon bread and milk which 
they devoured in the most greedy manner, 
and when they had laid on enough fat they 
were killed and sent to market. During 
the breeding season the males fight in the 
most furious manner, frequenting certain 
places, in which there are small mounds, 
for the purpose of settling their quarrels. 
In these fights the combatants never do 
each other any»,serious harm, the loss of a 
few feathers being the only result of the 
most serious duel. Ruffs and Reeves do 
not pair. The eggs are usually four in 
number and are laid upon the ground. 
They are of a greenish brown, splashed 
and spotted with brown and black. The 
females alone perform all the functions of 
incubation, and have all the trouble of 
rearing their young. The males continue 
to fight in the most furious manner during 
the whole of the breeding season. The 
food of Ruffs and Reeves consists of 
water-insects, worms,, larvae and seeds of 
aquatic plants. — J. T. T. H., Ry hope, Dur- 
ham (Jo., Eng. 
O.&O. VII. NOV. 1882. p. 
