The Merlin. 75 



over the plain and over the waters, and catching locusts, dragon- 

 flies, and other insects, which it sometimes transfers to the mouth 

 with the foot, while on the wing. 



Scarcely twenty instances are recorded of its appearance in 

 Britain, but of these, one is described in the Zoologist for 1843 

 as having occurred at Littlecote Park, near Hungerford, in 1825 ; 

 it was seen by a countryman to be pursued and struck down by a 

 raven, when he went up to it and caught it on the ground before 

 it recovered ; and, according to his account, it laid an egg after 

 its fall, which was broken. The peculiar markings of the hawk 

 struck the author of the communication, who bought the bird of 

 the countryman, and not being able to identify it with any of the 

 English hawks which he knew, he made a drawing of it, suffi- 

 ciently accurate to recognise it by : it was fortunate he did so, for 

 the bird, which was very wild and untameable, escaped after a few 

 days' captivity, and was probably killed, as it had one wing clipped ; 

 subsequently, his memory being aided by the drawing, he recog- 

 nised it as an Orange-legged Hobby, when he saw that bird at the 

 Zoological Gardens. More satisfactory because more undeniable 

 are the pair now in Mr. Kawlence's collection at Wilton, which 

 were shot in a plantation on the downs at Kingston Deverell, 

 near Warminster. These are the only instances which have 

 come to my knowledge of the occurrence of this very rare Falcon 

 in Wiltshire. In France it is Faucon a pieds rouges ou Kobez ; 

 in Germany Rothfussiger Falk; and in Italy Falco barletta 

 piombina. 



7. THE MERLIN (Falco cesalori). 



This beautiful little Falcon, not much bigger than a blackbird, is 

 so bold, so active, and so strong, that it has been known to strike 

 down a partridge at a blow, though twice its own size and weight. 

 It was formerly much esteemed for falconry, and was trained to fly 

 at woodcocks, snipes, and larks. In speaking of the Peregrine, I 

 have shown how that bird would accompany the sportsman to the 

 field and select a victim from the coveys when sprung, neither 

 terrified by man, dog, or gun, as described by Mr. Knox and others. 



