THE LADY'S HAWK 41 



some species than in others. A male Sparrow-hawk, for instance, is an insigni- 

 ficant, peevish little fellow compared to his vastly heavier and more powerful 

 wife. In the case of the Kestrel the difference is not nearly so marked, and 

 unless one can distinguish the markings it is impossible to say at a distance 

 if the bird is a male or a female. 



On only one occasion did we get a really close view of the male, and that 

 was whilst we were resting under the trees one extremely hot afternoon. 



He appeared most unexpectedly, arriving without a sound except for 

 the suspicion of a flick of wing as he settled. What an amazingly beautiful 

 little thing he is ! So small, so slender, so perfectly formed, he looks the 

 acme of neatness and dexterity. 



He is more brightly coloured than the female too ; his back and tail are 

 much bluer, whilst his throat and breast are of a brighter yellowish-red colour. 



He had evidently caUed to see if things were in order, and soon left again, 

 apparently with the idea of catching some food. In any case he again flew 

 past the trees some twenty minutes later, and uttered his call-note. 



Immediately the female left the nest, and crossing to a bank some fifty 

 yards away, took from his talons a small bird which he had already plucked, 

 and carried it away with her. When she returned after having partaken 

 of her meal, she uttered the curious little ' chip-chip ' noise, as Kestrels 

 do when they have more food than they know what to do with. 



The male Merlin invariably plucks, more or less carefully, any birds which 

 he may catch for the female, and usually selects a convenient molehill, or 

 small mound, on which to do the work comfortably. The particular Merlin 

 that we are discussing here had a favourite plucking-place in the shape of a 

 rock projecting from a bank at the side of a stream. It was interesting to 

 examine the feathers around the rock as one could tell what birds the Merlin 

 had been feeding on and perhaps what birds it had not been feeding on. 



Certainly there were no grouse or partridge feathers although I cannot 

 hope that this piece of information will influence those who are in the habit 

 of shooting Merlins neither were there any that had belonged to Plover, Ring 

 Ouzel or Missel-Thrush. 



In fact, the feathers littered thickly about the rock originated on two 

 kinds of birds, and two kinds only meadow pipits and larks both of which 

 species abound on the moors. There are in fact so many that one would 

 not think it would be worth the Merlin's while to risk a trouncing from the 

 mother grouse, by attacking her young ones. 



It has been said that Merlins have been known to attack and kill plover 

 but the writer ventures to think that there must be some mistake about the 

 assertion, unless the victims were handicapped in some way ; for a mature 

 healthy plover is as fine a flier as we can hope to see, and it is doubtful if there 

 is any hawk that can catch one. 



F 



