194 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BIUTISH BIRDS. 



must be very exceptional — whilst in the Faroes and 

 some other countries a ledge on the cliffs is chosen. 

 But little if any nest is made ; sometimes a mere hollow, 

 sometimes a slight ring of twigs. The Merlin is not a 

 very close sitter, and when flushed occasionally flies 

 round in circles uttering a low, chattering cry, especially 

 if the eggs be much incubated. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement: 

 The eggs of the Merlin are four or five in number, very 

 rarely six. They are creamy-white in ground colour, 

 clouded, mottled, and spotted with reddish-brown, and 

 occasionally marked with a few very dark brown specks. 

 Usually the eggs are so richly marked that little or 

 none of the ground colour is visible ; in some the mark- 

 ings are purplish-red ; in others the ground colour is 

 more apparent, and the markings are small and dark 

 and dusted over most of the surface. The eggs of this 

 Falcon run through every type that is to be seen in the 

 eggs of the Kestrel ; they are rarely banded or zoned. 

 Average measurement, v^ inch in length by 1*2 inch in 

 breadth. Incubation, performed by both sexes, lasts 

 four weeks. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of the Merlin 

 cannot be distinguished from those of the Kestrel or the 

 Hobby : the colour is perhaps on an average browner, 

 not so brick a red. The situation of the nest, however, 

 prevents much possibility of confusion. 



