Birds. 5121 



wards ; and, having bared the breast, commenced a hearty meal by 

 separating the flesh in portions from the sternum, with as much appa- 

 rent ease as if he had been operating with the sharpest surgical 

 instrument. I should have liked well to have seen the end of the 

 work thus begun ; but, unfortunately, a slight movement on my part 

 was detected by the quick eye of the hawk : my proximity was dis- 

 covered. Having gazed at me for a few, and only a few, seconds, 

 with an angry and piercing scowl, mingled with surprise, he then 

 rose, uttering a scream so wild and so loud as to awake the echoes of 

 the surrounding rocks ; whilst he himself, with the remains of his 

 least, which he bore along with him, rounded a point of the cliff and 

 disappeared ; and there is no doubt he ended his repast in unmo- 

 lested security. 



The Merlin (Falco cesalon). These daring little fellows we have as 

 natives. I have known them breeding on several of our hills, such as 

 the Knock, the Bin (Huntly), Auchindoon, and Ben-Vennis. I have 

 called the merlin a daring little fellow ; and is he not ? Yes, to be 

 sure he is, and every naturalist knows it, or at least should know it. 

 I know it, for several instances of his courage and daring have come 

 under my own personal observation. Of one instance in particular 

 I was an eye-witness, in which a merlin kept at bay and maintained 

 his ground against a whole host of rooks and jackdaws. But, alas ! 

 poor merlin, I doubt he suffered at last. Strolling about our sea- 

 braes one morning, I was a good deal surprised at hearing a most tre- 

 mendous noise a little before me, as if all the crow r s in the world had 

 been there, and were all sounding their French horns at once. On 

 coming to the spot I was no less astonished at seeing a little merlin 

 battling with and holding at defiance an enormous flock of the black- 

 robed gentry, whose screaming had first attracted my attention. Fain 

 would I have stepped in, or rather up, for they were above me, and 

 lent my aid to the weaker party, by giving the darkies a volley, for 1 

 had my gun with me; but curiosity forbade. One would think that 

 such a host could and would have smothered the little creature in a 

 twinkling, had they wished. But such was not the case : they did 

 not all assail him at once, nor yet singly, but generally 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 metal and swifter of wing, managed, with 

 wonderful dexterity, generally to avoid their attacks; now rising, now 

 xiv. 2 c 



