BIRDS OF PREY. 25 



nine years, but all of them were in winter viz., one in 

 November, one in December, and another in March ; 

 the latter might be accounted for as a particularly early 

 arrival, as it was a fine adult male ; the other two were 

 in immature plumage, and may have been hatched late, 

 but I believe it is quite exceptional to meet with them 

 in mid-winter. 



I have no knowledge of its breeding with us, and 

 have in vain sought for its nest ; and yet the fact of 

 meeting with birds in the livery of the young is pretty 

 strong proof that it does so, though it has escaped my 

 notice. At the same time, no country could be more 

 favourable to its habits, or furnish a more abundant 

 supply of food. It is not unlikely that the incessant 

 attacks of the keepers upon everything in the shape of 

 a hawk may have taught it instinctively to seek safer 

 quarters. 



The little I have seen of the hobby has impressed me 

 with the opinion that, though naturally wild and shy, 

 yet when in pursuit of its prey it will be absolutely fear- 

 less even of man's presence, and will pertinaciously 

 follow on regardless of any danger to itself. 



The beautiful little Merlin (F. cesalon) is more fre- 

 quent than the hobby, and though it cannot be called 

 rare, it is sufficiently so to make it an object of interest 

 when seen on the wing. Like the latter, too, most of 

 the occasions on which I have met with it have been 

 during the winter months, several having occurred in 

 February. It haunts a wild heathy tract at Inkersal 

 more commonly than elsewhere ; and here, with little 

 to disturb it, it breeds, placing its nest on the ground, 

 which is, I believe, its usual practice. I have often 

 thought the latter circumstance must, even in districts 



