602 



Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [November, 1907.] 



also cockchafers on tlie wmg. It is better at ringing up than 

 the Red-headed Merlin {^salon cJitquera). Its well-known 

 pluck is not infrequently referred to in old English ballads. 

 In one version of the '' Ballad of Sir Aldingar/' Queen Elinor 

 has a prophetic ' sweven ' : 



" Saving there came a little gray hawk, 

 A merlin him they call, 



Wliich until the ground did strike the grype. 

 That dead he down did fall." 



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In the Panjab the merlin is principally flown at the Lar^^e 

 Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) called cTiandul and chandur in 

 the Derajat, I have had a series of excellent flij^hts with a wild 

 merlin, the lark on each occasion at last dropping from a great 

 height and taking refuge under a clod. ■ 



Merlins are easily tamed, and should be trained as quickly 

 as possible. They should be cf*lled to the lure, wbich need only 

 be a dead bird {kushta)^ sparrow or lark, at least twice a day, and 

 should then be given one or two bagged larks as * trains. * ^ As 

 larks are their natural quarry, there is, of course, no difficulty 

 in entering to them. Merlins are delicate birds and must be kept 

 in high condition and fed twice a day on small birds. It is not 

 necessary to 6reafe them to the hood. They raay be cast before 

 being hooded, i.e., held in the right hand while the hood is 

 quietly slipped on with the left. They require to be hooded only 

 when in the field, t have never heard of the Common Merlin 

 being kept through the moult in India. 



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i For a method of snaring desert larks vide the Bdz-Ndma-yi Ndsirt. 



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