THE MEELIN 281 



it and had, moreover, partially refitted their ancient 

 citadel. I fully expected to find eggs when I next 

 visited the locality on May 4th. In this surmise, 

 however, I proved at fault, for the Buzzards had 

 gone, leaving in their stead a pair of small hawks 

 which, owing to the dense mist prevailing in the 

 mountains ttri day, left me in some little doubt 

 as to their positive identity, though mentally I 

 labelled them Merlins. 



The next time I passed that way was on May 

 22nd a bright day of clear sunshine. The 

 moment I reached the fern-covered slope opposite 

 the oaks a small hawk now at once recognised 

 as a female Merlin left the vicinity of one of the 

 Crow's old habitations, built in one of the topmost 

 forks of a somewhat slender tree growing in about 

 the middle of the thinly-planted bank. However, I 

 first ascended the tree containing the Kite's ancient 

 abode, which the male Merlin had left on May 

 4th. This was drawn blank, though not so the 

 Crow's nest. That held three Merlin's eggs laid 

 for no accountable reason in a straight line. The 

 male never turned up at all, but the female was 

 very noisy as she dashed round and round the 

 small " cwm " with her rapid though wavering 

 and somewhat erratic flight. 



The Merlin loves not at all any big bird which 

 may happen to cross the sacred precincts of its 

 eyrie, and loses no time in giving it battle. I have 

 been guided to several nests in this manner, even 



