1 4 Bird-keeping. 



An amusing anecdote is told by Mr. Knox of a wild 

 Merlin who was his daily companion while snipe-shoot- 

 ing in Ireland, following him from one marsh to another, 

 and always watching for a wounded bird to which he 

 could give chase ; he never meddled with a bird that 

 fell dead to the ground, but appeared to consider all 

 the disabled birds his lawful prey. After a while he 

 was joined by his mate, and both birds continued to 

 attend Mr. Knox on his shooting expeditions. The 

 first report of his gun was sufficient to bring them to 

 him ; and as soon as a snipe was wounded, one would 

 rise above it in a succession of circular gyrations, and 

 swoop upon it, and if he missed, the other would pur- 

 sue the quarry, which had no chance of escaping both 

 of his foes, and was sure to be seized by one of them, 

 while the other would be close at hand to "bind to it." 

 These birds continued to follow the sport for more 

 than two months, and constituted themselves Mr. 

 Knox's companions during the whole of the time he 

 was snipe-shooting in the neighbourhood. The Mer- 

 lin seems to have no fears about the size of its prey, 

 and can be taught to fly at partridges, grouse, and 

 magpies. It is a good pigeon-hunter, and most per- 

 severing in its chase of thrushes, larks, and similar 

 small birds, which it will follow through branches and 

 leaves if they seek refuge in such coverts. 



The Hobby is sometimes called the Miniature Pere- 

 grine Falcon ; but it prefers wooded situations to the 



