APPENDIX. | Birds. 341 
BIRDS. 
Aguita carysaEtos [The Golden Eagle]. 
The eagle breeds in the highest parts of the county, in the rocky 
heights near Ben Avon (see p. 128). They have also been seen 
hovering about the sea-braes between Banff and Portsoy. 
Aquita aLprcitta [ The Erne or Sea-eagle] has also been found. 
Aguita HALIaEtuS [The Osprey, Fish-hawk, or Fishing Eagle] has also 
been found. A very fine male specimen was shot among the 
high cliffs of Gamrie Head. Another was seen at Melrose, a few 
miles from where the other was obtained. 
Fatco pereerinus [The Peregrine Falcon, Blue or Hunting Hawk]. 
The peregrine is one of our native hawks, and breeds annually, 
though very sparingly, and usually in inaccessible places in some 
of our highest headlands. Peregrine falcons have been taken 
from their nests in Troup Head. As to the manner in which 
they devour their prey, see p. 207. 
Fatco asaLon [The Merlin]. 
A daring little fellow that breeds on several of our hills, more par- 
ticularly on the Knock, the Bin (Huntly), Auchindoon, and Ben- 
vennis. When strolling along our sea-braes early one morning, 
I heard a tremendous noise of rooks and jackdaws ahead of me, 
and on coming to the spot I found them attacking a little merlin. 
One would have thought that such a host would have smothered 
the little creature in a twinkling. But such was not the case. 
The crows did not assail him all at once, nor yet singly; but 
three, four, and as many as seven, would be on him at a time, 
the main body keeping at a short distance, encouraging their 
companions, as it were, with their cawings. After a while one of 
these storming parties would retire, and then another would sally 
forth to the charge. The merlin, however, being of lighter met- 
tle and swifter of wing, managed, with wonderful dexterity, gen- 
erally to avoid their attacks; now rising, now descending, and 
now turning in a zigzag direction, first to one side, then to the 
other; and succeeding, while doing so, in giving one or other of 
his adversaries a pretty severe peck, which had the effect of send- 
ing him screaming away. At last, however, a crow, which seem- 
ed more courageous than the rest, rushed at the merlin with such 
fury that I actually thought he would have swallowed him up at 
once, or sent him headlong into the sea. But no! the merlin 
withstood the shock, and contrived to deal his assailant a thrust 
as he approached and passed him. The merlin now rose consid- 
