Oar THE MERLIN 
but is much smaller and more slender; the wings, too, are larger 
in proportion, and the dark stripes beneath are longitudinal instead 
of transverse. Its natural prey consists for the most part of Larks 
and other small birds, beetles, and other large insects. It is said 
also to prey on 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 im- 
patient 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 MERLIN 
FALCO SALON 
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. 
TuHE 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 was accounted especially the Ladies’ Hawk. In a 
state of nature, it has been observed to attack the Partridge, Mag- 
pie, Starling, Blackbird, etc., but its favourite prey is the Lark; 
and it was to fly at this bird principally, that it was formerly trained. 
In hawking with Merlins, three of these birds were assigned to 
the Magpie, two to the Lark, and in the chase of the Quail and 
Land-rail, the Sparrow-Hawk was associated with it. The Merlin 
is more frequent in the northern than in the southern part of 
Great Britain, and is seen more frequently in winter than in summer, 
but is nowhere common. In Norfolk, many are caught at the 
autumnal equinox in the fowlers’ nets. It occasionally, perhaps 
generally, breeds in Northumberland, Cumberland, and North 
Wales, placing its nest upon the ground amongst the heather, and 
laying four or five eggs. 
