Taylor: The Habits of the Merlin. 119 
I was frequently much amused by watching the young 
birds beguiling away the time — they slept in a bundle most of 
the day, but awoke as their appetites began to increase, one 
especially used to amuse herself by gnawing a heather stalk 
with her beak; when tired of this she would put it down and 
snatch at it, playing at times almost like a kitten. Much 
time was also spent preening, and by mutual consent each 
would preen another. Sometimes they passed the time rubbing 
their beaks together, after the manner of adult Gannets. 
There are many who assert that in doing this the young 
Merlins are merely obeying a world-wide law which causes them 
to use their muscles as they will eventually be used in earnest, 
and to strengthen them for that time. To this, I heartily 
agree, but I can give no support to the naturalist who denies 
that wild creatures derive any pleasure from such exercise ; 
on the contrary I believe they enjoy these games. 
At this nest the male bird, I believe, did all the hunting, 
the female sometimes bringing birds to the nest in such quick 
succession as to make it impossible for her to have caught 
them herself, though as she usually averaged twenty minutes 
or so at the nest there was plenty of time for the cock to have 
done so. I imagine that the male must have been very un- 
usually bold and aggressive, as the variety and size of the 
birds brought to the nest absolutely astonished me. 
The following certainly fell victims to his beak and talons: — 
Blackbird, Song Thrush, Ring Ouzel. Willow Wren, Starling, 
Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, young Cuckoo, young Golden Plover, 
young Lapwing, Meadow Pipit' young Grouse, young Part- 
ridge, young Woodcock, Hawfinch, Sandpiper, Snipe, and 
Greenfinch. Surely a terrible list. However I think it an 
absolute mistake to judge all Merlins by a single pair; rather 
say that out of five pairs four will probably devote themselves 
exclusively to the small passerine birds, while the fifth may 
stop at nothing. 
I don’t suppose I can adequately describe the pleasant 
thrill that went through me every lime I watched this fine 
bird feeding her young almost at my very feet ; it always 
seemed so strange to watch such a shy and suspicious bird 
behaving as if there were no human beings within miles, 
and this is a sensation that never wears off as far as I am con- 
cerned. I have never yet observed the cock bird visit the nest, 
although I have no doubt he will do so on occasions. 
It is not at all a rare thing for merlins to fight, and curiously 
enough two hen birds will often fight over a nesting area. A 
keeper friend was out on the moors one day when he heard the 
familiar kek-keking of a Merlin, but was much surprised 
to find no Merlin in sight. As he walked on the sound came 
nearer, until as he stood by a clump of deep heather the kek- 
1914 April 1. 
