54 FALCONID.E. 



A person fishing in the bay, at the end of October, 1840, 

 when about a quarter of a mile from the shore, saw a redshank 

 pursued by a hawk (merlin ?) dash into the water, so as almost to 

 conceal itself beneath the surface. The hawk then rose into the 

 the air and soared, 



"And the merlin hung in the middle air 



With his little wings outspread, 

 As if let down from the heavens there 

 By a viewless silken thread ;"* 



while the redshank sought to make its escape ; but so often as 

 this was done, it was " put down" in a similar manner. Thus the 

 two birds went out of sight, leaving the result of the chase un- 

 known. The cry of the redshank is described to have been most 

 piteous. 



A gentleman residing at Moyallen (county of Down), who has 

 merlins trained for the chase, frequently flies them at tame pigeons, 

 which they kill well. Mr. W. Sinclaire has remarked to me, that 

 when living prey was given to his merlins, they instantaneously 

 extinguished life, whether or not they at the same time began feed- 

 ing ; while, under similar circumstances, the peregrine falcon has 

 retained a bird in his grasp for some time, putting an end to its 

 existence only when urged by hunger, though, like the merlin, 

 when it did commence, the most vital part was invariably the first 

 " entered upon." His sparrow-hawks, it need hardly be added, 

 began feeding indiscriminately on any part of the living objects 

 offered them. 



The remains of food contained in four out of five merlins examin- 

 ed by me, were, in each, one small bird ; in the fifth, were three 

 skylarks. 



The merlin breeds in the mountain-heaths at Aberarder, Inver- 

 ness-shire, and has been observed in the low grounds there by the 

 middle of August. To the 1st of October, — the time of my own 

 departure in 1842, — I observed the species there; and about Me- 

 garnie Castle, in Perthshire, I have seen it on the 22nd of that 

 month. One of these birds, brought to Mr. E. Langtry at the 



* Hogg. * 



