166 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



do, they all leave it before the stag-hunting begins there in the autumn, 

 fur Mr. James Turner has informer! us that, in the many years he has 

 loUowed the hounds across Exmoor, he has only once seen a Merlin. We 

 were sitting on the Capstan Hill at Ilfracombe, early in August 1875, 

 when a young Merlin flew close to us ; it was too early for the northern 

 birds to have arrived, and we thought that this young bird may have 

 been reared on the high grounds at no great distance. AVe have seen 

 Merlins in the winter-time, both iu Xorth Devon and in the close adjoining 

 districts of AVest Somerset, and have admired their pluck and daring. One 

 day we noticed a little cock Alerlin in full pursuit of a lling-Dovc, which 

 attempted to shelter in a big elm tree ; but its pursuer dashed in after it, 

 and rattled it out again, as readily as a cock Sparrow-Hawk plunges into a 

 tangled brake after a Blackbird. 



In the old days of falconry the Alerlin was trained chiefly for the use of 

 ladies, and afforded pretty flights at Snipe, following them very cleverly 

 through all their zigzag twistings. On the Irish bogs Alerlins sometimes 

 attend on the Snipe-shooters for the sake of getting a chance at the birds 

 they may flush ; and Lord Lilford has stated that, when shooting near the 

 mouth of the Eutrinto river, in Albania, he has seen as many as five 

 wounded Snipe carried off' in a single hour by these little Hawks. 



In pursuing small birds Merlins fly low over the ground, and may 

 be noticed, like Sparrow-Hawks, trying the sides of the hedges in search of 

 their prey. 



The Merlin places its nest upon the ground, and is common on the 

 moors in the north of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 



At Plymouth Eolitho had eight IMerlins sent to liim in twenty years (18."3-73). 

 They occurred at the following dates: — A male, November 2nd, isrc; October 13th, 

 1853; December 23rd, 18r)4 ; September 27th and November l'2nd, 185.'); January 

 22nd, 1858; November 2nd, 18()U ; October 17th, 18(i6. Mr. Gatcombe records one at 

 Plymouth, February 3rd, 1873; two December 1878; one on Dartmoor, November 

 IsVlt; a male at Plymouth, March 1884 (Zool. 1873, p. 34G6 ; 1879, p. 115; 1880, 

 p. 47 ; 1881, p. 57 ; 188.5, p. 22). 



The Merlin has often occuri-ed in the Ivingsbridge district. A pair in January 1852 

 (C. P., Zool. 1852. p. 3474). An adult male, killed by flying against the telegraph-wires, 

 October 1st, 1875 (R. P. N.). Two. December 18?-», at Eolt Head (' Field,' Jan. 3rd, 

 1880). An inuuatnre male was shot when in pursuit of a Wheatear, September 18th, 

 188(J, near Thurlestone. Two adult males at Gerston Copse, November 7th, 1SS5 ; a 

 male December 2nd, ]88() ; and a female December 7th, 1886 {K. A. S. E.). Other 

 specimens l-.ave been brought to Mr. R. P. Nicholls. 



An inunature bird shot at Paignton, and one at Bishop's Stowe, near Torquay, 

 November 1872, are iu the Torqiuiy Museum. Two were seen, and one shot, at Chud- 

 leigb, about October 1875 (E. A. s! E.). 



A female was taken in a net at Barley, near Exeter, September 6th, 1848 (R. C). One 

 at Exeter December 1849 (' Exeter Gazette '). One seen at Exmouth, and on Dawlish 

 Warren, at the beginning of October 1873, was shot near Exetrr on the 22Dd of that 

 month. A female shot at Newton St. Cvres. November 18th, 1880, is in A. M. M. 



One was seen at Sidmouih in September 186(5 (J. C. Tyrwhitt-Drake). 



The Merlin is an 2casioual winter visitor to North Devon and Lundy Island. 



In Cornwall it occurs about as frequently as it does in Devon. In 

 Donet it is only occasionally met with. 



