38 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the parent birds (generally both), and in no case for more than ten 

 years did they ever allow the young birds to get away. They found out 

 by experience that it was of no use to shoot one of the birds before they 

 had begun to breed, because in such cases the survivor found another 

 mate in a few days. They shot or snared the cock bird as soon as they 

 could after the hen had begun to sit. In the neighbourhood of the nest were 

 little rocky elevations on the ground, which the cock bird used as feeding- 

 places, and which were easily found by the feathers of young Grouse and 

 other small birds scattered round them. Upon these knolls traps were set ; 

 and as soon as the cock bird was caught the hen was easily shot off the 

 nest. For several successive years this was done ; but, curiously enough, in 

 the summer of 1872 no Merlins appeared in the locality. The only way 

 in which to account for the selection every year of the same locality by a 

 fresh pair of birds seems to be to suppose that the Merlins migrate en 

 masse, and that as they pass each recognized breeding-place, if the former 

 occupants are not there to take possession, another pair immediately 

 occupy it. The facts of the case seem to warrant the conclusion that the 

 selected sites for breeding are well known to a large circle of Merlins ; 

 otherwise it is difficult to account for the choice always falling upon the 

 same site, out of an indefinite number of others apparently equally 

 eligible. 



The following is a history of the fate of each pair of birds for five 

 successive seasons in two localities : 



1869. Nest near Strines. Hen shot as she was bringing food to the 



young. Cock shot with food in his mouth a quarter of an 

 hour afterwards. Young all destroyed. 



1870. Nest on the same bank. Cock trapped and killed in the morning. 



Hen trapped in the afternoon. Eggs all taken. 



1871. Nest on the same bank. Two eggs taken. Nest afterwards 



forsaken. Birds very wild and neither shot this season. 



1872. No Merlins appeared this year. 



1873. Nest on the same bank. Eggs taken and both birds destroyed. 



1869. Nest near Ashopton. Both parents and all the young were 



destroyed by a party of gamekeepers after the young had left 

 the nest. 



1870. Hen shot soon after arrival. The cock found another mate, 



which was soon afterwards also shot and again replaced. Both 

 these were shot before the nest was discovered. 



1871. Nest on the old bank. Both old birds and the young were 



destroyed. 



1872. No Merlins appeared this year. 



1873. Nest on the old bank ; fate of birds unknown. 



