24 
FALCON IDiE. 
found any such remains in the stomachs of the very large 
number I have examined; nor, it may be added, have I ever 
seen a Merlin otherwise than in excellent condition. It is 
especially destructive to common and snow buntings and 
starlings, but birds of the thrush kind are the great attraction. 
Even although no Merlin may have been seen for many 
days, no sooner do the passing flocks of fieldfares and redwings 
halt by the way for shelter and food, than the common enemy 
takes up his abode in the neighbourhood, and commits sad 
havoc as long as any remain. 
Towards autumn, when the small birds descend from the 
hills, the Merlins follow them, sometimes singly, sometimes 
in pairs, but more frequently in family parties, consisting of 
two old birds and two or three young ones. It is not a little 
singular that although from four to six eggs are laid, I have never 
seen more than three birds in company with their parents. 
At this season, one or more may be seen sitting upon or near 
the top of one of the numerous hay-coles,” watching for the 
wheatears, mountain linnets, meadow pipits, and starlings, 
which the newly cleared fields have attracted. Next come the 
snow buntings, in multitudes, which, soon descending from the 
hills to the fields recently left by the reapers, form an unfailing- 
supply of food for some weeks. Then, with the redwings and 
fieldfares, come the numerous finches and common buntings, 
which frequent the gardens in winter; and if the supply of 
these fail before the return of spring, the enormous flocks of 
mountain linnets, and the numerous shore-birds upon the beach, 
keep the ever-hungry Merlin very comfortably until spring, 
when the breeding-place is returned to, and the routine recom- 
mences. In the wildest districts, where there is neither 
attraction nor shelter for small birds, the Merlin merely pays 
flying visits, and is but seldom observed. In those very few 
instances in which the family party happen to be near a garden, 
the young birds are fond of concealing themselves among the 
bushes, dashing out with a great noise when a footstep ap- 
proaches. The old l)irds, on the contrary, keep more to the 
