MERLIN. 11 



MERLIN. 



Falco cesaJon. 



On Nov. 3rd, 1842, a female was shot at Boshara. On the 

 19th of Feb., 1844, I saw, near Cowfold, a ^Merlin rise from 

 the side of a hedge, mount perpendicularly to some height, 

 and again descend close to the same spot, whence it flew off 

 very rapidly, not more than a foot aboVe the ground, over a 

 ploughed field close to the road. It was so close to me at 

 first that I had a good view of the slate-blue colour of the 

 upper parts, showing it to be an adult male. On Jan. 7th, 

 1852, an immature female was shot at Henfield^ where I 

 saw it at the shop of Peter Ward, gunsmith. I have often 

 seen this bird on the open downs in winter. According to 

 Mr. Knox, it prefers the open country to the weald. It 

 nests on the ground, but I have never heard of its having 

 done so in Sussex. 



Mr. Booth states that '' on the South Downs these Hawks 

 are not unfrequently captured in the nets of the bird- 

 catchers. At times they dash suddenly down, with an 

 impetuous swoop, and destroy the brace-birds. Occasionally 

 they approach in a more cautious manner. I have noticed 

 them to settle first at some short distance, and then to draw 

 on towards their intended victims. In one instance a very 

 young Falcon alighted on the pull-line, where it remained 

 for several minutes, regardless of half a dozen persons within 

 a distance of twenty yards, its attention being apparentlv 

 entirely engrossed by the decoys in the net."^ 



In the 'Zoologist' Mr. Ellman writes that a mature 

 female Merlin was shot at Rye Harbour, in February 1849, 

 and that this species appeared, in rather considerable num- 

 bers, in the neighbourhood of Lewes early in October in that 



