1G6 THE MERLIN AND THE KESTREL. 



the view of getting above the heron — and thus the three 

 birds frequently appear to be taking three separate routes. 

 The first hawk "makes his swoop as soon as he gets above 

 the heron, who evades the blow by a rapid shift, but in so 

 doing affords the second hawk an opportunity of rising 

 and swooping in his turn. In what is deemed a good 

 flight this is again and again repeated, and the three birds 

 often mount to a great height in the air. When one 

 hawk seizes his prey, the other soon " binds to him," as it 

 is termed, and, buoyant from the motion of their wings, 

 the three slowly sink to the ground together. No time 

 must be lost by the falconer in getting hold of the heron's 

 neck when he is on the ground, or he will injure the 

 hawks. For it is then, and not while he is on the wing, 

 that he will use his beak in self-defence. 



The graceful swift- winged Merlin, the " lady's hawk " of 

 medieval days, is found in most parts of Western Europe, 

 where he builds his rude nest on the moorland heath or in 

 wild and sequestered rocky banks and cliffs. The charm- 

 ing little Kestrel or Windhover is still more abundant, 

 and in most of our wooded districts, or in the neigh- 

 bourhood of mossy ruins and hoary towers, may be seen 

 suspending himself in the transparent air by quick short 

 movements of the wings, so as to keep perfectly, or almost 

 perfectly, stationary ; a favourite habit of his, from which 

 he has obtained the name of Windhover. He feeds upon 

 small birds, earth-worms, insects, and such small mammals 

 as the shrew and field-mouse. The farmer, therefore, has 

 good cause to welcome his presence in the fields of grain ; 

 and probably feels no strong antipathy towards him. 



