i62 THE MERLIN 



but is much smaller and more slender ; the wings, too, are larger 

 in proportion, and the dark stripes beneath are longitudinal instead 

 of transverse. Its natural prey consists for the most part of Larks 

 and other small birds, beetles, and other large insects. It is said 

 also to prey on Swallows ; but swift as its flight undoubtedly is, 

 it is somewhat doubtful whether these birds are not sufficiently 

 nimble to elude it, unless, indeed, it attacks individuals exhausted 

 by cold or other cause. It has been trained for hawking small birds ; 

 but owing, perhaps, to its migratory habits, it was found to be im- 

 patient of captivity, and was not much prized. Hobbies frequently 

 hunt in pairs, and an instance has been recorded where one hunted 

 a Lark in company with a Hen Harrier ; but the latter, a bird of 

 heavier flight, was soon compelled to give up the chase. It builds 

 its nest, or appropriates a deserted one, in high trees, and lays three 

 or four eggs. 



THE MERLIN 



FALCO .ESALON 



Tail longer than the wings ; upper plumage greyish blue ; lower reddish 

 yellow, with longitudinal oblong dark brown spots ; tail barred with 

 black ; beak bluish, darker at the tip ; cere yellow ; irides dark brown ; 

 feet yellow, claws black. Female — above tinged with brown ; below, 

 yellowish white. Length eleven to twelve inches ; breadth two feet. 

 Eggs mottled with two shades of dark reddish brown. 



The Merlin, or Stone Falcon (so called from its habit of alighting 

 on stones to watch the flight of the small birds which it intends to 

 make its prey), is a beautiful little bird, but notwithstanding its 

 small body ranks among the ' noble ' Falcons. Associated with 

 the Sparrow-Hawk, it was, on the Continent, anciently trained to 

 hunt Quails — and the old falconers are loud in its praises. In 

 England, it was accounted especially the Ladies' Hawk. In a 

 state of nature, it has been observed to attack the Partridge, Mag- 

 pie, Starling, Blackbird, etc., but its favourite prey is the Lark ; 

 and it was to fly at this bird principally, that it was formerly trained. 

 In hawking with Merlins, three of these birds were assigned to 

 the Magpie, two to the Lark, and in the chase of the QuaU and 

 Land-rail, the Sparrow-Hawk was associated with it. The Merlin 

 is more frequent in the northern than in the southern part of 

 Great Britain, and is seen more frequently in winter than in summer, 

 but is nowhere common. In Norfolk, many are caught at the 

 autumnal equinox in the fowlers' nets. It occasionally, perhaps 

 generally, breeds in Northumberland, Cumberland, and North 

 Wales, placing its nest upon the ground amongst the heather, and 

 laying four or five eggs. 



