ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 151 



his full, clear notes. Heard at close quarters, 

 there is something very startling about this note 

 a deep and hollow sound which seems to vibrate 

 the air around us, and which may be heard a mile 

 or more across the waste. The Cuckoo flies well 

 and powerfully, but is a clumsy bird on the 

 ground, and uses its short legs little as a means of 

 locomotion. It is very fond of sitting on a bare 

 dead branch, and rocking itself to and fro, raising 

 and depressing its outspread tail and frequently 

 uttering a hoarse chatter. The eggs of the 

 Cuckoo are laid in May, and though subject 

 to considerable variation, the type usually found 

 on the moors is very similar to that of the Skylark 

 and about the same size. The number of eggs 

 laid by a female Cuckoo every season is yet an 

 unsolved problem, but four or five are very pro- 

 bably deposited, each one almost invariably in a 

 different nest. 



One of the most interesting of the birds of 

 prey has its home upon the moors in summer. 

 This is the MERLIN (Falco <zsalon). Its breeding Moors of 

 range is almost the same as that of the Red Britain, 

 Grouse and the Twite, commencing on the moors Derbyshire, 

 of the Peak in Derbyshire, and thence extending m n oor s ns 

 northwards with the heather and the hills. Early 

 in April the Merlin leaves the lowlands and 

 makes its appearance on the moors. There are 

 several very interesting facts in the economy of 

 this brilliant and daring little Falcon. One of 

 these is its persistent attachment to a certain 

 haunt, returning year by year (for be it known 

 the Merlin shifts its ground with the change of 

 season, just like the Twite) to one particular 

 place to breed, in spite of continued persecution. 



