FALCONS. 



187 



uniform brick-red colour, but they may be mottled with a darker shade. The 

 merlin commonly preys upon small birds, and has been trained to fly at snipe, 

 larks, thrushes, etc. According to Messrs Salvin and Brodrick, "the strongest 

 female merlins may be trained to fly pigeons admirably, and from their small size, 

 and the way in which they follow every turn and shift of the quarry, are better 

 adapted for this chase than the peregrine ; unlike it, they do not stop when the 

 pigeon takes refuge in a hedge or tree, but dash in and generally secure it." 



MERLINS (| nat. size). 



In addition to its smaller size and much darker general colour, the American 

 pigeon-hawk is distinguished by having four black bars on the tail, of which the 

 last is much the widest. This falcon is a migratory species, with a swift and 

 powerful flight, breeding in open nests or hollows of trees, as well as on cliffs, 

 and in cavities in the banks of rivers. The following interesting anecdote is given 

 by Mr. R Macfarlane regarding this species. On the 25th of May, 1864, an 

 Indian in his employ " found a nest placed in the midst of a thick branch of a 



