Ruffs and Reeves are very frequently shot in the Fens, Old Merry who has been before noticed, well knew how to place those whom he conducted in Fen Shooting, near some spot to which they resorted, the Birds flew backwards and forwards to this spot in small parcels, (termed by the Fen-Men, Wings,) of seldom more than eight or ten, they flew very low and close together, and some of those that were shot, were extremely fat.

Plovers.

There are three sorts of these birds, which are objects of the Sportsman's pursuit, the Golden, the Grey, and the Peewit or Lapwing.

The Golden Plover is the size of the Turtle, its weight nine ounces, length, eleven inches, breadth twenty-four; the bill is short and black; the feathers on the head, back, and wing coverts, are dusky, beautifully spotted on each side with light yellowish green; round the eyes and the chin almost white; sides of the head, the neck, and sides of the body, the same as the upper parts, but much paler; the breast brown, marked with greenish oblong strokes; the middle feathers of the tail barred with black and yellowish green; the greater quills are dusky; the legs black; and it wants the back toe, by which it is distinguished from other birds of its kind; there is some variety seen in the colour of the belly, this is owing to the season; about the beginning of March, the appearance of black in the breast is first seen, increasing by degrees, until that part becomes a full black; but after the time of incubation, this tint again disappears, and the belly is white. The Male and Female differ very little, and in the young birds, the spots are not of a full yellow, but incline more to grey.

M. BAILLON, who has observed these birds in Picardy, asserts, that their early plumage is grey; that at their first moult in August and September, they get some feathers of a yellow cast, or which are spotted with that colour, but it is not until after some years, that they acquire their fine golden tint. He adds, that the females are hatched entirely grey, and only when old, assume a little yellow, and that it is very rare to see their feathers so uniform and beautiful as the Males. No longer need the distinction of tints in this species of birds be remarked, since this Gentleman has proved, that the varieties result from the difference of age and of sex.

This elegant bird inhabits England the whole year, and breeds on several of our unfrequented mountains, is very common on those of the Isle of Rum, and others of the loftier Hebrides, also on the Grampian, and all the heathy hills of the islands and highlands of Scotland, millions are found in the Orknies, from which they never entirely migrate; they lay four eggs, two inches in length, more pointed in shape than those of the Lapwing, and of a pale cinereous olive, blotched with blackish spots; they make a whistling noise, and fly in small

flocks, and by a skilful imitation of the note, may be enticed within shot. They freqüent' in November meadows and commons, and there was once an instance of a Warrener near Bristol killing eleven at one shot. Their flesh is sweet and tender, they are dressed like the Woodcock with their trail, and are excellent eating.

The Grey Plover

is about twelve inches long and twenty-five broad, and weighs seven ounces; the bill is black, about an inch long, in the roof of the mouth is a double row of spinous appendages pointing inwards; the head, back, and wing coverts, are of a dusky brown, edged with greenish ash colour, and some with white; the cheeks and throat white, marked with oblong dusky spots; the belly, thighs, and rump white. The exterior webs of the quill feathers black, the lower part of the interior webs of the four first, white; the tail is short, does not project beyond the wing, and is marked with transverse bars of black and white; the legs are of a dirty green, the back toe extremely small; this bird is in no great abundance in England. They generally come in small flocks about October, and leave this country about March; in cold and frosty weather, they seek their food on such lands as lie near and adjoining to the sea, in open weather they feed in ploughed fields, especially if sowed, and, having fed, fly to some plash of water to wash their beaks and feet, a habit which is also common to the Woodcocks, the Lapwings, the Curlews, and many other birds which feed on worms; they sleep chiefly in the day in calm weather, passing most of the night in running up and down after the worms, which then creep out of the ground; at that time they always make a small cry, as if to keep their flock col lected till day break, when they unite and fly to the coast; they are sometimes taken in nets at their first coming, and the Fowler is cautious to set his nets to play with the wind; for instance, when the wind is easterly that they may play westerly. The north-west is the worst wind to take them, as all sea fowl fly against the wind, whenever they design to rest on the land. The preferable places for setting the nets are, in large common fields of green corn, and near to water, for there are they sure to resort to clean their beaks and feet; their flesh is very delicate. In Carolina they are seen in the vallies, near the mountains, in great numbers, but seldom alight; are also very common in Siberia, appearing there in autumn in vast flocks, coming from the extreme north, where they breed.

Mr. GILPIN speaks of them as sometimes abounding in the New Forest, "Plovers of different kind's (says that Gentleman,) are common in its heathy parts. I have sometimes seen large flocks of the grey species, and admired them as they encircled the air; in their regular flight they in some degree resemble water-fowls, but are not so determined in their course, wheeling about, and forming various evolutions; at times they appear scattered and in confusion, until closing together, as if by some word of command, they get again into form."

The Snipe is also a frequent inhabitant of the wildest scenes of the above district, any swamp or marshy spot pleases, and of these abundance are found in various parts of the Foreft.

The Lapwing, or Peewit, or Bastard Plover,

is so common, that a detailed description is unnecessary; it is about the size of a Pigeon, and weighs eight ounces; the plumage is beautiful, especially the crest; the male and female are alike, but the last rather smaller; is a constant inhabitant of this country, and seen on most of the heaths or marshy grounds, but as it subsists chiefly on worms, it is forced to change its place in search of food, and is frequently seen in great numbers by the sea shores, where it finds an abundant supply. It is every where well known by its loud and incessant cries whilst on the wing, and whence in most languages, a name has been given to it as imitative of the sound. The Peewit is an active bird, almost continually in motion, it runs along the ground very nimbly, and bounds from spot to spot with great agility; it frolics in the air in all directions, assuming a variety of attitudes, remaining long upon the wing, and sometimes rising to a con, siderable height.

The female lays her eggs on the ground, scraping together a little dried grass for a bed, they. are four in number, of a dirty olive spotted with black; it is worthy of notice that among water fowl, congenerous birds lay the same number of eggs, for example, all of the Sandp per and also of the Plover tribe, lay four a piece, the Puffin genus only one; and the Duck tribe in general are numerous layers, producing from eight to twenty. The Lapwing's eggs are held in great esteem for their delicacy, and are sold by the London Poulterers for four shillings the dozen *. The ben sits about three weeks, the young Lapwings run very soon after being hatched, are first covered with a blackish down, interspersed with long white hairs, which they gradually lose, and about the latter end of July, acquire their handsome feathers. The old birds show remarkable solicitude for their offspring; on the approach of any one to the place of their, deposit, they fly round his head with cries of the greatest inquietude, and become more clamorous when farthest from the nest, and will even flutter along the ground as if lame, in order to draw off the attention of the fowler. In August, the young and old associate in large flocks, which hover in the air, saunter in the meadows, and after rain disperse among the ploughed fields. In October, the Lapwings are very fat, and are then excellent eating. In Loraine there is an old proverb, "Qui n'a pas mangé de Vanneau, ne sait pas ce que gibier vaut ;"—He that has not eaten Lapwing, knows not what game is worth. In October and November they are taken in the fens in nets, in the same manner as the Ruffs are, but are not preserved for further fattening, but killed as soon as caught.

In the provinces of Brie and Champaign in France, they are seen in flocks of thousands, and decoyed into the nets by the playing of a mirror, with the addition of some stuffed birds, with

Is it not an incroachment upon the rights of Nature thus to destroy the tender germs of species which we cannot multiply? The eggs of domestic poultry are in a manner our own creation, but those of independent wild birds, belong only to the common Mother of all, and her decrees ought not to be violated, to gratify the whims of a luxurious appetite.

here and there a live one intermixed, and in the canton of Bassigney, they are hunted at night with flambeaux, whose light attracts them.

The Lapwing is frequently kept in gardens, where it is useful in freeing them from worms and slugs. When this bird sees a worm-cast, he turns it aside, and after walking two or three times around it, by way of giving motion to the ground, attentively waits the issue; the worm soon makes its appearance, which the Lapwing immediately seizes, and carefully draws out. During frosty and hard weather, they will eat bits of pudding or meat; but always forsake these, when worms, its favourite food, can be had.

The following anecdote shews the domestic nature of this bird, as well as its singular conciliation of animals, generally supposed to be hostile to the whole feathered race. Two Lapwings, given to the Rev. Mr. Carlyle, were turned into a garden, where one soon died, the other picked up such food as the place afforded, till winter deprived it of its usual supply. Necessity compelled it to approach the house, by which it became familiarized to occasional interruptions from the family; it was observed by one of the servants, that the Lapwing always made his cry of Peewit at the back kitchen door to obtain admittance, as the winter advanced he came into the kitchen, but with much caution, as that part of the house was already occupied by a dog and cat, whose friendship the Lapwing by degrees so conciliated, that when dark he constantly resorted to the fireside, sitting close to his two associates and partaking the warmth; when spring appeared, he left the house, and betook himself to the garden, but on the appearance of winter, had recourse to his old shelter and his old friends, who received him cordially; he frequently washed in the bowl set with the dog's water, and while thus employed, was highly indignant if either of his companions presumed to interrupt him. In his winter lodging, crumbs of wheaten bread were his principal food, which he preferred to any thing else. He died in the winter asylum he had chosen, being choaked with some hard substance he had picked up.

Of the Web-footed Fen birds the first noticed will be the Grey Lag, those that follow will be Water fowl, which are generally found upon the sea coast, or in the rivers affected by the tide during the winter, and of which many resort to the Fens, as a safe asylum in the breeding

season.

The Grey Lag, or Wild Goose,

weighs ten pounds, the length is two feet nine inches, the breadth five feet, and is our largest species of wild fowl; in 1799, one was shot at Horning Ferry which weighed twenty-three pounds.