( 246 ) 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE BREEDING-HABITS 

 OF THE MERLIN. 



IV. — The Young. 



BY 

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



{Concluded from p. 231.) 



During, many long hours in hiding here, I can honesth' 

 say that I never suffered a moment's boredom. Cramp, 

 suffocating heat at breathless midday, freezing cold during 

 the weary night hours, and intense thirst, all came into the 

 " day's work," but the comical antics of the young Merlins 

 kept me incessantly entertained. 



Thirst was not the least of my worries. To reduce weight 

 ■ — two cameras, a tripod, binoculars, mackintosh, blanket, 

 sketch book, etc., made a sufficient burden for a four-mile 

 moorland tramp — my food consisted of chocolate. This 

 in itself induced thirst. The suffocating heat of the little 

 hide induced it. Flies led to smoking and smoking induced 

 it. Within earshot bubbled Gill Beck, purest of pure moor- 

 land becks, and that induced it more than all the others put 

 together. But to run down to its banks and wallow in it, 

 which was my continual desire, was out of the question, 

 for I was alone, and there was no one to see me back into 

 the hide. But even thirst was forgotten many a time, 

 thanks to my constant little entertainers. 



When first I saw them the}' were but a few days old and 

 completely clothed in down. On the 22nd the blood-filled 

 quills of the remiges and rectrices were easily visible, and 

 on the 23rd they had burst their tips. By the 26th these 

 had grown considerably, but more than half of each was 

 still in sheath. The lores now showed the first signs of 

 feathering. This was an important date for the youngsters, 

 for they began to get the use of their legs and spent much 

 time in practising the art of standing upright. This caused 

 them many falls, but they persevered. Hitherto they had 

 crawled about, the whole tarsus being apphed to the ground 

 and used as a foot. 



Already they showed their natural instinct of obedience, 

 for if the mother for any reason sounded the alarm from 

 her rock all would instantly " freeze," no matter what their 

 occupation at the time, and glance fiercely around. If, on 

 the other hand, they heard the maternal " Eep " they all 



