BRITISH BIRDS. 41 
THE MERLIN. 
I 
( Falco JEfalon , Lin.- — LI Emerillon y Buff.) 
The Merlin is the fmalleft of all the Hawk kind, 
fcarcely exceeding the fize of a Blackbird : Its 
bill is blue ; cere yellow ; irides very dark ; the 
head is ruft colour, ftreaked with black ; back and 
wings of a dark blueilh alh colour, ftreaked and 
fpotted with ruft colour ; quill feathers dark, mark- 
ed with reddilh fpots ; the breaft and belly are of a 
yellowilh white, with ftreaks of brown pointing 
downwards ; the tail is long, and marked with al- 
ternate dulky and reddilh bars ; the wings, when 
clofed, do not reach quite to the end of the tail ; 
the legs are yellow ; claws black*, 
