OUR BIRDS OF PREY. 



89 



certain to have more than one 'opportunity in any journey of seeing 

 the Merlin stooping at larks. This bird is seldom found in closely- 

 wooded countries, but on the moors, wolds and open districts. It 

 is a common mistake to suppose that it always builds its nest on 

 the ground. With us, it is true, it comparatively seldom nests in 

 other situations, but there are exceptions. In an instance that 



THE HOBBY. 



came under the writer's notice, the female of a pair of Merlins 

 being shot, the male bird next year, taking a new mate, nested in 

 exactly the same site as before, viz. the deserted nest of a crow, well 

 up in a Scotch fir. In Lapland the Merlin oftenest nests in trees. 

 The Hobby is fortunately a far commoner bird in this country 

 than is usually supposed. But as it only arrives in late spring, 



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