Formerly this species used to be a regular summer migrant to our shores, breeding in the fen countries and other suitable places, but now, although a few birds visit this country in spring, and possibly a few may still breed, it is only as an autumn visitor that it will be generally found. Even on passage it can hardly be called common, but on our east and south coasts a good many pass through, halting merely for a few days. On the west and in Ireland it is decidedly rare and irregular in its appearances. This species differs in its nesting habits from all other Waders. The males, who don a special showy ruff in spring, meet at their breeding-quarters on some raised mound and display their finery to the hens. Apparently they are very pugnacious, as they will often jump up and peck at another male, using their feet also after the manner of a gallinaceous bird, but on close observation it will be seen to be all “show,” and we have never seen a proper fight between two males. On the arrival of a female the males spread out their ruff and remain motionless in front of her, and as she moves away they will jump up, and quivering with suppressed excitement again display their charms, to which she is apparently quite indifferent. Although said to be polygamous, the question is still open to doubt; from among her many admirers the female chooses one, and observations, so far as they go, seem to show that she only pairs with one male. A male, unless chosen, never pursues the female or interferes with her in any way, but trusts merely in his external beauty to attract her attention. The nest is placed among rough herbage in a fairly damp place. It is a deep cup, well lined with grass and bents. The eggs, usually four but often three in number, are greyish green, blotched and spotted with various shades of brown. Except during the actual pairing the male takes no part in the housekeeping, and when the females are sitting the males may be seen together in flocks. In food and other habits this species resembles the majority of Waders. In winter the sexes are alike, except that the male is very much larger than the female. The upper parts are of a uniform brownish, and the under parts brownish grey, with white margins to the feathers; belly white. The young resemble the adults but are darker on the back, the feathers of which have rufous or buff margins. The neck and breast are of a pale pinkish buff. In spring, the male grows a long ruff on the neck and upper breast as well as a backwardly directed ear tuft on each side of the head. This ruff can be raised or depressed at will, and is of a variety of colours, hardly any two being exactly alike. The face also becomes covered with a mass of warty carbuncles. The feathers of the back and flanks are black, mottled, spotted, or barred with chestnut. The female has no ruff, but becomes darker on the back and breast. Length of male 12·5 in.; bill 1·5 in.; wing 7·25 in.: of female 10 in.; wing 6 in.