54 
PALCONIDiB. 
A person fishing in the bay, at the end of October, 1840, 
when about a quarter of a mile from the shore, saw a redshank 
pursued by a hawk (merlin ?) dash into the water, so as almost to 
conceal itself beneath the surface. The hawk then rose into the 
the air and soared, 
“And the merlin hung in the middle air 
With his little wings outspread. 
As if let down from the heavens there 
By a viewless silken thread 
while the redshank sought to make its escape ; but so often as 
this was done, it was “ put down” in a similar manner. Thus the 
two birds went out of sight, leaving the result of the chase un- 
known. The cry of the redshank is described to have been most 
piteous. 
A gentleman residing at Moyallen (county of Down), who has 
merlins trained for the chase, frequently flies them at tame pigeons, 
which they kill well. Mr. W. Sinclaire has remarked to me, that 
when living prey was given to his merlins, they instantaneously 
extinguished life, whether or not they at the same time began feed-, 
ing ; while, under similar circumstances, the peregrine falcon has 
retained a bird in his grasp for some time, putting an end to its 
existence only when urged by hunger, though, like the merlin, 
when it did commence, the most vital part was invariably the first 
“ entered upon.” His sparrow-hawks, it need hardly be added, 
began feeding indiscriminately on any part of the living objects 
offered them. 
The remains of food contained in four out of five merlins examin- 
ed by me, were, in each, one small bird ; in the fifth, were three 
skylarks. 
The merlin breeds in the mountain-heaths at Aberarder, Inver- 
ness-shire, and has been observed in the low grounds there by the 
middle of August. To the 1st of October, — -the time of my own 
departure in 1842, — -I observed the species there; and about Me- 
garnie Castle, in Perthshire, I have seen it on the 22nd of that 
month. One of these birds, brought to Mr. It. Langtry at the 
* Hogg. 
