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Despite Arthur's wheedling, however, Merlin refused to repeat the pond-dunking exercise, and instead located for them a bench in the shade that they could stroll to in a leisurely fashion before taking a long rest there while Merlin fed the pigeons. He was endearingly fond of them and had named them all, and though Arthur could never tell Bartholomew, Meriwether, Hortense, Ethel, and Clarence apart, they certainly knew who Merlin was, and would flap down to greet them after they sat, cooing and pecking hopefully at Merlin's feet while he crumbled stale bread for them.