FALCON ID.^— MERLIN. 175 



Mr. J. H. Hills of Peering has a fine old female shot by himself in Prested 

 Hall Wood (now stubbed) about! 1859. Writing at Coggeshall in i860, Mr. C. 

 E. Smith describes it (31. 52) as being "frequently shot in this neighbourhood." 

 In Sept., 1870, Mr. Scruby set up one shot by Mr. Cox at Margaret Roothing (29. 

 Sept. 24). A female was shot in the grounds of Coval Hall, Chelmsford, by my 

 cousin, Mr. Jacob Marriage, early in April, 1877, and early in September, 1878, a 

 male was shot in Nightingale's Wood, Roxwell, by my uncle's keeper, who was of 

 opinion that a nest had been reared that summer in the wood, and that there were 

 other birds about at the time (53. ii. 37). On Nov. 27th, 1879, I saw here what I 

 have little doubt was one. Mr. Hope, who has one shot at Shalford in the autumn 

 of 187S) says it is " not uncommon at Havering." One was caught alive as it was 

 feeding on a Swift which it had captured at Mistley on May 15th, 1888 (29. June 2). 



Mr. Saunders sa3's (^Alanual, p. 337) that " at one time [it bred] with tolerable 

 regularity in Essex." Dr. Laver informs me that he took a nest m Hockley-Bull 

 Wood when at school in 1842. Mr. Buxton says (47. 81) a pair "nested [in Epping 

 Forest] for two years — 1846-47. After being disturbed, they nested on the Hill 

 Hall Estate, and brought off their young." The}^ have probably bred there since, 

 for Mr. Harting writes me : — 



"In June, 1869, a male Hobby was seen for some days about the Forest at 

 Chingford and was -eventually taken by a bird-catcher on the loth of that month. 

 I saw it a few days later in the possession of a friend who had secured it and had 

 it stuffed." 



Mr. M. Vaughan of Finchingfield records (40. iii.459) that in 1877 his brother 

 found a nest with four young at Felstead. Lord Clifton states (40. iv. 259) that 

 he " ascertained beyond doubt " that a pair bred near Belhus Park in 1879. His 

 lordship saw a splendid male which had been shot from the nest. Mr. Hy. Steph- 

 enson, head-keeper at Birch, informs me that a pair bred in Layer Wood in 1885. 

 The female was shot and the eggs were afterwards taken by some boys, while Mr. 

 James Round, M.P,, has informed me that the dead bird was brought to him. Mr. 

 Stacey has a specimen shot during the summer of 1S85, or 1886, at^ Great Walt- 

 ham. 



Merlin : Falco cc salon. 



An uncommon ^vinter visitor. It breeds in moorland districts 

 further north, but certainly does not now breed in Essex, though it 

 is stated to have formerly done so in the marshes of Rochford 

 Hundred. 



In Rochford Hundred, Mr. Parsons says (li) it was "rare " in his day (1830). 

 Mr. Clarke notes (24) that Mr. S. Salmon shot a male at Ashdon in 1829 ; that 

 two males were killed at Saffron Walden in Nov., 1843 ; that Mr. J. Wilkes shot 

 an adult male at Elmdon on Dec. 28th, 1844 ; that a male (said to be in the 

 Audley End Collection) was shot at Grimsditch Wood, Saffron Walden, on Jan. 

 20th, 1837 ; that a female was shot at Clavering in 1829 ; that Mr. Salmon 

 killed one at Wenden in 1830 ; that two specimens were killed on Jan 1st, 1830 ; 

 that a female was killed at Audley End on Jan. 4th, 1837 ("The finest I ever 

 saw : weight 9 oz., J. C") ; that another female was taken at Westley Farm, 

 Feb. 7, 1837 (weight 8f oz.) ; and that another female occurred at Andley End 

 on Oct. i8th, 1853. In the Museum at Saffron Walden are an adult male from 

 Saffron Walden, presented by E. J. Tuck, and an adult female from Saffron ^Val- 

 den in Feb., 1837, presented by Mr. S. Salmon, probably the specimen from 

 Westley Farm mentioned above. In 1835, Edward Doubleday wrote (15) " The 



