64 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xv. 



in the Field last year the finding of a nest of this species in 

 a rookery. I am glad to be able to state that the birds are 

 again in the same rookery this season and had three eggs 

 on June 26th. Norman Gilroy. 



MERLIN BREEDING IN SOMERSET. 



With reference to the note {aniea, p. 45) on the " Merlin 

 Breeding in Devon," I may state that on July nth, 1921, 

 when in company with Mr. N. G. Hadden on Exmoor, in 

 Somerset, I found a Merlin {Falco c. cesalon) sitting on an 

 old Carrion-Crow's nest about 25 ft. up in a beech tree in 

 a lonely little combe. On ascending to the nest, I found 

 that the bird had been sitting on two addled eggs. The nest 

 was very tilted, and bore signs of having been occupied for 

 some time past. 



After leaving the nest, the bird was quickly joined by 

 its mate, and both then wheeled overhead for several minutes, 

 screaming loudly. A little way further up the same combe 

 we put up a young bird, which immediately joined the old 

 ones overhead. 



I have heard a report, which I have not yet fully investi- 

 gated, to the effect that the Merhn bred in a similar place 

 in this locahty in 1920. C. J. Pring. 



KESTRELS NESTING ON THE GROUND. 



While on the island of Texel in May 1921 I was informed 

 that Kestrels {Falco t. tinnimculus) had taken to nesting on 

 the ground, among the extensive dunes near Westermient, 

 on the S.W. of the island. 



On the 25th of May, I was conducted by the local watcher 

 to see these nests. After some hard walking among the deep 

 heather and other growth we came to a nest of the Kestrel 

 with four eggs, which rested on the loose peaty soil, no nesting 

 material being used. The nest .was completely hidden in 

 ling about two feet deep. I saw nothing of the Hawks. 

 Leaving this nest we continued our way amid these almost 

 mountainous dunes, and the watcher warning me that we 

 were approaching another, I was able to get my binoculars 

 on to the bird as it left the nest. This one was placed 

 similarly to the first but not quite so well concealed, and round 

 the eggs were a number of pellets. About a hundred yards 

 from it there was a Curlew's {Numenius a. arquata) nest with 

 two eggs, and a few yards farther a Black-tailed Godwit 

 {Limosa liniosa) was sitting so closely that I was able to put 

 up my half-plate stand camera, stop down and expose a 



