124 



British Birds. 



THE MERLIN. 

 (Faho astilon.) 



The eggs are from three to five in number, closel}- mottled and sprinkled with rufous 



all over, so that they much resemble some eggs of the Kestrel and Merlin. They 



measure about an inch-and-a-half in length. 



The Merlin is a smaller and more thick-set little Falcon than 

 the Hobby, from which it is distinguished by its blue-grey colour 

 and by the colour of the under surface, which is white with a 



rufous tinge, and streaked with black, these black stripes extending on to the thighs 



which are like the breast. The female is browner than the male, and is whitish 



underneath, streaked with dark brown ; occasionally blue females are met with, which 



resemble the male in colour, so that, when fully mature, the sexes appear to be alike 



in plumage, as is the case with the Hobby. 



The principal food ot the little Merlin seems to be small birds such as Sandpipers, 



Larks, Wagtails, Pipits, etc., but it also feeds on insects, especially large moths. It 



frequents the open moors 



in Wales and the North 



of England, and breeds 



thoughout Scotland and 



the greater part of Ireland. 



It extends throughout 



Northern Europe and 



Siberia, and winters in 



China, Northern India and 



Northern Africa. 



The nest is placed on 



the ground or on the ledge 



of a rock, and is merely a 



hole in the ground, lined 



with a little grass or a few 



bits of heather. The eggs are four or five in number, and are of a deep red 



colour, resembling those of the Hobby or Kestrel, and measuring" about an inch- 

 and-a-half in length. 



Three species of G3T-Falcon have occurred in Great Britain, 

 and of these the White or Greenland Gyr-Falcon {see p. 123) 

 is always easily recognised by its )-ellowish bill and by having 

 only spots or streaks, not bars, on the flanks. By these 

 features there need never be any difficulty in identifying a 

 Greenland Falcon at any age ; and throughout all its plumages 



it keeps up a white appearance, which is only varied with a few black spots or streaks. 

 This beautilul Falcon is an occasional visitor to Great Britain, and has been 



noticed more often in Ireland and Scotland than in England. It is generally seen 



in autumn and winter, and most of the individuals which visit us are young birds. 



The Merlin. 



THE 

 GREENLAND 

 GYR-FALCON. 



(Hierofalcu 

 candicans.) 



