THE MERLIN. 



Falco eesalon WILLOUGHBY. 

 PLATE VI. 



Falco aesalon, Willoughby, Ray, fyc Merlin of most Brit. 

 Authors. Stone Falcon of Latham. Montague, App. 

 to Supp. Orn. Diet, the male. 



THIS beautiful little Falcon has considerable 

 resemblance to the Peregrine, except in stature. 

 but though less, its proportions are all most symme- 

 trical, and the colours of the plumage, though 

 somewhat similarly distributed, are more brilliant 

 and better marked ; upon the whole, it may be 

 considered as one of our handsomest Raptorial 

 birds. In the change of plumage it is also allied, 

 and a variety of synonims have in consequence 

 been applied. Formerly it was trained to the 

 chase, and used to hawk for quails, snipes, and 

 larks, and the flight in pursuit of the two latte** 

 generally afforded the best sport in the estimation 

 of the falconer. In pursuit of prey, the Merlin 

 does not often mount above it and rush down, as 

 we have generally seen the Peregrine, but at on<^ 

 gives chase, closely following the victim througi) 

 i 



