IDG 



BRITISH HIUDS. 



[vol. XV. 



task and let the Falcon replace him. More often than not, 

 when it was his turn on. the iact of my getting into the hide 

 would be sutTicient to make him leave the care of the eggs 

 to the hen. llor ]XMiods on would thus be artificially 

 jMolonged. the normal length being ascertained from a 

 distance. 



Both birds took great ]xiins to arrange the eggs prior to 

 sitting. The\" were inxariably turned with tlie hel]i of 



Merlin 



s;. 4. L in liiiiy UK- t'Liys w iiLi uku and beak. 

 (Photographed by W. Rowan.) 



talon and gaping beak (Fig. 4). The effect of this rough 

 method of handling became more and more appai'ent as 

 time went on. as minute bits of the outer pigmented shell 

 got chipped off, finally producing eggs very freely sprinkled 

 with small white specks. It was fortunate that the shells were 

 as strong as they were, for many a time the hen, on arriving, 

 landed in the middle of the clutch (Fig. 0). and damage 

 seemed inevitable. But thev took no haim. As in the case 



