20 BRITISH BIRDS' EGGS. 



ing. Its nest, generally placed on the face of some preci- 

 pitous cliff, resting on a shelf of the rock, on a tuft of 

 vegetation, or in a horizontal cleft, is composed of sticks, 

 coarse stems of grasses, or fern ; but the eggs have been 

 discovered laid in a slight hollow, on the surface of the 

 rock, among the refuse roots of vegetation. The eggs are 

 of a fine reddish or orange-brown colour, varied with deeper 

 markings, and usually from two to four in number. 



THE HOBBY. Falco subbuteo. This is a rare bird in our 

 country, arriving in April and leaving in October. It is 

 supposed to retire to the Asiatic continent, being only mi- 

 gratory in the countries of Europe. It is described as 

 breeding late, and rarely building a nest for itself, but 

 taking possession of that of a Crow or Magpie. It lays 

 sometimes only two, but generally three eggs, freckled or 

 spotted with reddish-brown, but seldom if ever marked with 

 any large blotches of colour : some of its eggs might be 

 mistaken for those of the Kestrel, but the former have rather 

 a pinker hue. 



THE MERLIN. Falco tesalon. The Merlin is called also 

 the Stone Falcon, from its habit of sitting on a bare stone 

 or rock, amidst the mountain scenes which it frequents. It 

 nestles in wild, mountainous districts, and, in such situa- 



