LETM5 



THE SHARE OF MALE MERLIN IN FEEDING THE YOUNG- 



To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — I notice that Mr. Rowan, in his article on the Breeding-Habits 

 of the Merhn {antea, p. 230), quotes me as stating that the cock 

 Mcdin feeds the young. That it does so sometimes is quite true. 

 The accompanying photograph taken on my estate in igi6 by Mr. 

 Oliver Pike proves this. I do not think it is possible to prove that the 

 cock does not take its share in feeding the young ones in every case, 



that is to say, by nature. The photographer wlio makes his observa- 

 tions from a " hide " close by is apt to upset the balance of nature. 

 The hen, being the more courageous, would be more likely to feed her 

 young in the presence of the intruder, while the cock would perhaps 

 desist from acting as he would do in the ordinary way. 



That the cock does most of the hunting and the hen most of the 

 feeding is obvious supposition, but here is a case of a cock feeding 

 and I have many times seen the hen hunting at some distance from 

 the nest — that is usual, of course. The hen, however, does not go 

 hunting, I believe, until the young are of an age to feed for themselves. 



E. Richmond P.\ton. 



