MERLIN. 39 



Although the Merlin arrives on the moorlands from its winter haunts 

 late in March or early in April, it is a somewhat late breeder. The 

 date of nidification is evidently chosen with relation to an abundant 

 supply of food for the young. As in the Cyclades Eleonora's Falcon 

 {Falco eleonorcB) postpones its operations until August, so that the young 

 may be fed upon the flocks of Quails returning southwards on their 

 autumn migrations, the Merlin lays its eggs about the middle of May, so 

 that the voracious young may be fed upon young Grouse. The site 

 selected for the nest varies in different localities ; for in Lapland both 

 Wolley and Wheelwright mention instances of nests being found in trees, 

 and CoUett says that in South Norway it frequently takes possession of an old 

 nest in a tree, like the Kestrel. On the Faroes it is said to breed on the 

 cliffs. On our own moorlands a site is chosen on the ground in the tall 

 heather, or in some flat spot amongst the rocks on the steep slopes at the foot 

 of the precipitous ridges so often met with in these localities. The site 

 usually slopes down to a stream and is one that commands a good view of 

 the surrounding country. In most cases a small hole is made ; whatever 

 roots and dry grass may chance to be upon the spot are scratched into the 

 rudiments of a nest ; and the only materials actually selected by the bird 

 appear to be a few slender twigs of " ling " to form the outside of the 

 structure, and which are generally broken from the heather overhanging 

 the nest. When on the rocky slopes, it is usually made under a heather 

 tuft, or beneath a mass of coarse herbage, and is then but a mere hollow 

 in the scanty soil, as often without a few ling-twigs as with them. The 

 eggs of the Merlin are usually five in number, sometimes only four, and 

 somewhat rounded in form. In colour they closely resemble those of the 

 Kestrel and the Hobby ; but the colovir is a more decided brown, 

 without the brick-red tints so commonly seen on newly laid eggs of those 

 birds. Like all Falcons^ eggs, they differ considerably in size and intensity 

 of colour, varying through all the types of Falcons' eggs figured on 

 Plate 4, with the exception of the Sparrow-Hawk's. Some specimens are 

 deep reddish brown, so richly coloured as to hide all trace of the ground- 

 colour ; others are pale red, with most of the deep brown confined sometimes 

 to the large end and sometimes to the small end. Some specimens are pale 

 cream in ground-colour, evenly and beautifully marbled with deep purplish 

 red, or finely dusted over the entire surface with minute specks of blackish 

 brown. The eggs of the Merlin vary from 1-65 to 1-5 inch in length, and 

 from 1-3 to 1-15 inch in breadth. Like most birds of prey, the Merlin 

 exhibits very little outward anxiety when its nest is approached j but 

 sometimes, especially if there be young birds in the nest, it will fly 

 round in circles, occasionally uttering a low tremulous scream, a note 

 resembling the call of the Kestrel. 



When the young are strong upon the wing and well able to shift for 



