124 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xv. 



within a few feet of the edge of the heather or bracken patch 

 holding it, I have never known to be broken. The long 

 view I have never known to be wanting. The proximity 

 of a path or fence has proved invariable. On the other 

 hand, there may be but a single boulder or even none. A 

 valley is not always there, the sloping side of a fell occasionally 

 affording a suitable site. 



A nest found by Isherwood some years back, the site of 

 which was shown me, was placed in the centre of a small 

 heather tuft growing on the top of a boulder on a steep 

 hillside in a bed of bracken. The usual view was obtained 

 from this spot and a path was close at hand. 



As far as the Embsay and Harden Moors are concerned, 

 the streams, as noted, run to northward, and the long view 

 is obtained in that direction. On adjoining moors, 

 however, e.g., Barden Fell Moor, the valleys run in the 

 opposite direction and the long view is then seen to the 

 south. The direction thus appears to be immaterial. The 

 bank that provides the best view is invariably chosen, no 

 matter what its relation to the sun may be, a gently sloping 

 portion of it always providing the ultimate site. But it 

 appears that a valley devoid of a path, stone wall or fence, 

 however desirable in other respects, is not used. 



The simplest way of locating a nest is by means of the 

 perching boulders, invariably streaked with lime, or to use 

 the local expression, " chalked." If the ground is frequented 

 only by Merlins, as is most often the case, it is quite possible 

 to find the nest merely by a careful inventory of the 

 " chalkings." A shooting butt, if correctly situated, makes 

 a favourite substitute for a boulder. A small mound of 

 earth will be similarly used and often is (Fig. 3), though 

 such all too frequently escape observation. It is the relative 

 positions of the perches, no matter what constitutes them, 

 that is so constant that the finding of the nest by them alone 

 is rendered possible. Since both birds are tight sitters it 

 is more often than not necessary to pass within a few feet 

 of them to put either off, a habit that does not facilitate the 

 finding of the eggs very greatly. The fact that no Merlins 

 are to be seen or heard on visiting what is supposed to be 

 an eyrie, is of no significance. If the hen is incubating the 

 cock is mostly out of sight and sound, and since the hen 

 generally refuses to stir till one is almost on her, a casual 

 visit to the eyrie may reveal nothing. Should the cock be 

 sitting, however, the hen is usually dozing on a neighbouring 

 perch, and will get up in the air and show great excitement, 



