102 ACCIPITRES. 



rarely, in a bush. Its eggs are more numerous than those of 

 the larger falcons, being sometimes as many as six. The 

 birds are not, however, numerous in proportion to the eggs ; 

 and hence it is supposed that, in the absence of the female 

 bird, they are sometimes destroyed by crows, and probably 

 by weasels. The stony moors in the south of Scotland and 

 north of England, with some parts of the Welsh mountains, 

 where small birds are more plentiful than in more elevated 

 and remote places, appear to be the favourite haunts of the 

 merlin. But the time when the merlin is on the moors is 

 the time when they are little frequented, except by the 

 shepherds, and they, though generally shrewd observers of 

 the weather, do not pay much attention to natural history. 

 By the time that autumnal sporting commences, the little 

 birds have mostly flocked, and come down either to winter 

 in warmer and more abundant pastures, or preparatory to 

 their departure from the country. The merlins accompany 

 them as far as the southern parts of England, and probably, 

 in many instances across the channel; but they preserve 

 their retired habits. As both prey and preyer fly rapidly 

 at that season, the merlin is not very often seen, and as it 

 gives chase in long flight, and does not beat like the short- 

 winged birds of prey, it vanishes almost as soon as it is got 

 sight of.* 



THE KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus). 



The kestrel, though much less bold and noble in its hunting 

 than the merlin, is a very beautiful bird ; and it is one of the 

 most common of all our birds of prey. It is also little, if 



* The merlin is indigenous is Ireland, breeding in the mountains of 

 the counties of Londonderry, of Down, of Antrim, Tipperary, &c. In 

 the winter these birds descend to the low grounds, and to the shore, 

 where they give chace to dunlins (Tringa variabilis) and similar waders. 



M. 



