{ m ) 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE BIIEEDING-HABITS 

 OF THE MERLIN. 



II. — Incubation. 



BY 

 W. ROWAN, M.SC, M.B.O U., F.Z.S. 



{Continued from p. 129.) 



With regard to the methods employed in destro3/ing the birds, 

 there is Httle to say. They are simple, but efficacious. A 

 trap placed in the nest and one or two more, without any 

 camouflage whatever, on the favourite boulders above the 

 nest, usually account for both birds in a very short time. 

 The cleaner method of trapping is preferred to shooting, as 

 certain feathers of the male are highly prized by fishermen, 

 but the gun is sometimes resorted to. By walking up to 

 the nest a shot at close range is guaranteed, first at one bird 

 and a little later at its mate. 



It seems almost incredible that a bird will deliberately 

 sit down in a naked trap on top of a boulder while other 

 perches are to be had, yet that is one of the Merlin's 

 weaknesses, and no doubt accounts to a large extent for the 

 fact that both birds of a pair are so readily killed. The 

 love of a perch in a certain relative position to the nest seems 

 to be at the bottom of this apparently foolish trait. 



The average time of arrival of the birds on these moors 

 is the middle of April, though some years, as for instance 

 in 192 1, it may be considerably earlier. They appear to 

 spend some time in the selection of a site, although this may 

 be nothing more than appearance, for they will frequent 

 the spot they finally choose on and off, almost from the time 

 of arrival till egg -laying. But during this period they may 

 be away for days together. Already at this stage the male 

 will feed his mate, who appears to do very little hunting 

 for herself from now until the young are flying, but there is 

 considerable individual deviation in this respect. I am 

 not sure that the feeding at this time is not merely part of 

 the courting ceremonies, for it takes place always at the 

 nest, or what is ultimately to be the nest, and is, frequently 

 at all events, followed by sexual union. Should the hen be 

 away when her mate arrives with a catch, he calls persistently 

 until she arrives and takes it, not as later on, at a boulder 

 but at the actual nest site. If there are any aerial courtship 

 displays on the part of the male, I have failed to interpret 

 them as such. 



