Northern Observations of Inland Birds 145 



in small packs. It was, however, impossible to perceive 

 any increase in the number of merlins, and since then I 

 have noticed a melancholy shrinkage of their numbers. 

 On most moors to-day this bird is, indeed, regarded as 

 a rare hawk, and assuredly it is following the hobby in 

 the sense of becoming nothing more than a name to the 

 lover of wild bird life. This is specially to be regretted, 

 since much of what may be said in favour of the preserva- 

 tion of the kestrel is equally true of the merlin. 



Some time ago I was asked to obtain a live specimen 

 of this little falcon for a zoological collection, to which I 

 was only too happy to become a contributor. I obtained 

 two young birds, male and female, in the down, reared 

 them till almost fully fledged, then handed them over to 

 the able keeping of the park authorities. Returning a 

 year or two later, I visited the collection in order to see 

 *' my merhns.'' It was the spring of the year, and they 

 had to themselves an ample aviary. Both were in very 

 beautiful plumage — miniatures, indeed, of the kingly 

 peregrine that occupied the next cage, and a very striking 

 contrast to the pair of ravens, which, on the other side, 

 rejoiced in recommending the public to a distinctly 

 warmer climate. 



On looking at the two little captives I must, however, 

 confess to sentimental feelings which, like those of an 

 erstwhile poet laureate, were beyond human utterance. 

 The little tercel crouched on his perch, his pointed wings 

 outstretched and quivering, while looking into the distance 

 he uttered the familiar springtime note of which mention 

 has already been made. The sound brought back a 

 vision of brighter scenes, of the moors on a May morning 

 where often I had heard that call-note. 



Yet we must not be too sentimental as concerns captive 

 birds of prey, for we need to bear in mind that even in a 

 wild state few of them wander further than is necessary 



