12 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



The nest seems to be usually placed amongst 

 cliffs : it is a slight structure of heather, dead weeds 

 and dry grass : it is also found on the' ground 

 amongst heather.* 



The food of the Merlin consists mostly of small 

 birds : it has, however, been seen in chase of House 

 Pigeons, and occasionally kills one, but its strength 

 appears insufficient to carry off so heavy a prey. 

 Snipes also seem special favourites : so fond does 

 the Merlin appear to be of these that it has been 

 known to accompany persons snipe-shooting, and 

 chase the missed or wounded birds. Mr. Blake- 

 Knox says that if the Snipe was shot and the Merlin 

 could catch it before it reached the ground it in- 

 variably did so, but if it reached the ground the 

 hawk never touched it : he adds, " When the hawk 

 would leave the bog, so might I the Snipe were all 

 flushed."! 



The adult male has the bill bluish lead colour ; 

 cere yellow;! irides brown; fore part of the fore- 

 head white, streaked with black ; head bluish, mixed 

 with rusty and streaked with black, a small light 



* Zool. for 1864, p. 9317. 



f Id. 1866, Second Series, p. 221. 



I Mr. Saxby says (Zool. 1865, p. 9519), adult males 

 have the cere, tarsi and feet deep gamboge-yellow, tinged 

 more or less with orange ; but in all the young birds and 

 adult females he has examined those parts have always 

 been pale sulphur-yellow. 



