806 
BIRD-LIFE. 
the casual observer as well as that of the naturalist; so 
singular is its plumage and so curious are its habits and 
ways that it cannot be compared to any other member of 
the family. 
It is difficult to give any definite description of the 
plumage of the male, for during the summer it is of no 
fixed colouring, inasmuch as that of the large ruff round 
the neck varies immensely. It is sometimes of a rusty 
red and spotted, sometimes rusty red and barred, at 
others the same colour and striped longitudinally; some¬ 
times it is ash-grey, and tipped, banded and striped; 
sometimes white, thickly, spotted with black; sometimes 
all of one colour, say yellowish brown, blue-black, yellow- 
greyish white, black-green, metallic steel-colour, &c. In 
museums there are generally large series of these birds, 
of which no two resemble one another, and it is espe¬ 
cially improbable that one would find two perfectly alike. 
Besides this peculiarity, there is another, namely, the 
singular difference of size between the two sexes, which, 
with the long legs and slight web between the outer and 
middle toe, stamps our friend with the mark of especial 
singularity. 
The Buff, or male, only possesses the before-mentioned 
variety of plumage during pairing time, whereas in the 
winter he adopts a dress quite of a different character. 
When young the plumage of the two sexes is identical, 
and they are only distinguishable one from the other by 
their size. The ruff is only assumed by the adult male, 
and grows on the nape and front of the neck; it consists 
of a number of stiff feathers, which lie very thick and 
close to one another; these fringe the neck all round, 
except at the back. This ruff is so large as to form 
a regular shield to the front of the head, and can never 
