FALCOXID.E. 



349 



THE HOBBY 



Falco subeuteo, Linnaeus. 



The Hobby belongs to a group of Falcons {Hypotriorchis of many 

 authors) characterized by remarkably long wings, comparatively short 

 tail, and soft plumage. It arrives in England in small numbers 

 about the middle or latter half of May, and has been found breed- 

 ing in the southern counties as far west as Devon, especially in 

 Hampshire ; at one time with tolerable regularity in Essex ; less 

 frequently in Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk ; not 

 uncommonly in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire ; 

 occasionally in the midlands, and exceptionally in Yorkshire ; while 

 in Cornwall, Wales, and the west it is seldom noticed. In Scotland, 

 where it has occurred as far north as Sutherland, Caithness and the 

 Shetlands, it is rare even on migration, and was not known to nest 

 until, in August 1887, the late Sir Edward Newton discovered an 

 adult and three young nailed up at Kinnaird House, Perthshire. 

 In Ireland nine examples have been obtained, most of them in May 

 or June. As a rule, the Hobby leaves the British Islands in 

 September, but many occurrences during our ' winter ' months are 

 on record. 



The Hobby visits Heligoland annually, and has been recorded as 



