20 FALCONID/E. 



Swallows ; but swift as its flight undoubtedly is, it is 

 somewhat doubtful whether these birds are not sufficiently 

 nimble to elude it, unless, indeed, it attacks individuals 

 exhausted by cold or other cause. It has been trained for 

 hawking small birds ; but owing, perhaps, to its migratory 

 habits, it was found to be impatient of captivity, and was 

 not much prized. Hobbies frequently hunt in pairs, and 

 an instance has been recorded where one hunted a Lark in 

 company with a Hen Harrier ; but the latter, a bird of 

 heavier flight, was soon compelled to give up the chase. 

 It builds its nest, or appropriates a deserted one, in high 

 trees, and lays three or four eggs. 



THE MERLIK 



FALCO iESALON. 



Tail longer than the wings ; upper plumage greyish blue ; lower reddish yellow, 

 with longitudinal oblong dark brown spots : tail barred with black : beak 

 bluish, darker at the tip ; cere yellow : irides dark brown ; feet yellow, claws 

 black. Female — above tinged with brown ; below, yellowish white. Length, 

 eleven to twelve inches ; breadth, two feet. Eggs mottled with two shades of 

 dark reddish brown. 



The Merlin, or Stone Falcon (so called from its habit of 

 alighting on stones to watch the flight of the small birds 

 which it intends to make its prey), is a beautiful little 

 bird, but notwithstanding its small body ranks among 

 the "noble" Falcons. Associated with the Sparrow-hawk, 

 it was, on the Continent, anciently trained to hunt Quails, 

 — and the old falconers are loud in its praises. In 

 England, it vs^as accounted esjDecially the Ladies' Hawk. 

 In a state of nature, it has been observed to attack the 

 Partridge, Magpie, Starling, Blackbird, &c., but its 

 favourite prey is the lark ; and it was to fly at this bird 

 principally, that it was formerly trained. In hawking 



