5. On the Ruff (Machetes pugnax)

The exceedingly beautiful bird now on the table was forwarded to me on the 1st of September last by Mr Wilson, Edington Mains, Chirnside, Berwickshire. It had been shot two days previously. Mr Wilson says, “On comparing it with all the Waders figured by Bewick (the only work of the kind which I possess), I find none that correspond; whence I infer that it is really a rara avis.” He adds, “When noticed by the edge of the pond by my children it had a young one with it, which they saw it feeding. The young one, they said, was much lighter in its plumage, but was old enough to fly strongly.” The note led me to expect a full-grown female wader and young one. But the size of the bird and its general features of maturity showed it to be a male, in full winter plumage. Its companion, described as young, doubtless from its size, seems to have been the female, or reeve, which is little more than half the size of the male. In this respect the ruff differs from most of the sub-family Tringinæ, in which the females are generally larger than the males.