f 
26 FALCONID.E. 
indoors, I selected what appeared to be an upright splinter of 
yellowish-coloured stone about forty yards off. Eemarking to 
iny companion how greatly it resembled a bird, I took a deli- 
berate shot at it, wEen, to my surprise, no less than to my 
delight, the supposed stone, spreading a pair of lovely wings, 
fell forward dead in the form of a Merlin — a beautiful male 
in perfect plumage. I concluded that, the stomach and crop 
being quite filled with the remains of small birds, the Merlin 
must either have been sleeping after his meal, or too heavily 
gorged to be willing to rise. 
The eggs are often obtained, though not so frequently as one 
would expect. The nest is formed but very slightly, of dry 
grass with a little heather, and is usually situated upon the 
ground ; or in a cliff, rather neur the summit. I have had 
good proof that both birds take part in incubation. The young 
are kept well supplied with food ; more golden plovers, snipes, 
and wheatears being brought to them than the hungriest 
brood can devour. According to my notes, fresh eggs may be 
found from the middle of April to the middle of May. There 
can be no doubt that dishonest dealers often successfully avail 
themselves of the temptation to pass off Kestrel’s eggs as those 
of the Merlin, and indeed it is sometimes impossible to detect 
the fraud. Among the large number of Shetland specimens 
which have come under my notice, the greater number were 
paler and slightly rounder than Mr Hewitson’s figure,* having 
a peculiar dry appearance, without the slightest gloss, and 
looking altogether as if they had been- shaped from pieces of 
pale red brick. Those of one set, however, were very dark in 
colour, being of an almost uniform deep brown, plentifully 
besprinkled with minute black dots. 
I have often noticed the Merlin’s habit, referred to by Mr 
Gray, of frequenting roofs and chimneys. Those of Buness, 
the highest house in Balta Sound, are much resorted to ; partly 
on account of the numerous starlings and sparrows which seek 
Eggs of Britisli Birds, 3d edition, vol. i. p. 30. 
