116 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



LETTER XL 



" Nature teaches beasts to know their friends." 



CORIOLANOS. 



The Merlin — Stealthy Mode of Approach — Merlin and 

 Red wigs — Occurrences in Sussex — Merlin on Snipe 

 Bogs — Chase of wounded Snipe — A valuable Ally 

 — Spoi-t in Company — Good Understanding — A 

 New Confederate — Tactics of the Jack-Snipe. 



The Merlin {Falco JEsalon) is a winter visitor 

 to Sussex, and seems as partial to the bleak and 

 exposed situations near the coast as is the hobby 

 to the woods of the interior. I do not remember 

 havinor ever seen this little falcon amono- the 

 covers on the clay soils of West Sussex, but I have 

 observed it in the wilder portions of the forest 

 range to the east of Horsham, near Crawley and 

 Worth. It also occurs on various parts of the 

 sandstone formation immediately to the north of 

 the Downs, more especially where it spreads into 

 wide heaths, as in the neighbourhood of Rogate, 

 Midhurst, Duncton, Parham, and Henfield; on 

 most of which I have noticed this bird. 



