132 HOBBY. 



the county. A pair of Peregrine Falcons were seen in the Letton 

 meadows, in December, 1883, and one of them, at any rate, was 

 seen many times in the same neighbourhood, for some weeks 

 afterwards. In 1884, ^ Peregrine Falcon, of immature plumage, 

 was shot by Mr. Walter Power, of the Hill Court, near Ross. It 

 was killed nearly opposite Goodrich Court, and is now in the 

 possession of Miss Shand, Old Hill House. 



As when a cast of Faulcons make their flight 



At an Herneshaw, that lyes aloft on wing, 



The whyles they strike at him with heedlesse might, 



The warie fcmle his bill doth backward wring, 



On which the first, whose force her first doth bring, 



Herselfe quite through the bodie doth engore. 



And falleth downe to ground like senselesse thing ; 



But th' other not so swift as she before, 



Fayles of her souse, and passing by doth hurt no more. 



Spenser— i^aeWe Queen. 



As confident as is the Falcon's flight against a bird. 



Shakespeare— iJicAarc? //., J., S. 



The Falcon as the Tercel for all the Ducks i' the river. 



Shakespeare— TroiYus and Cressida, III., 2. 



FALCO SUBBUTEO— Hobby. 



Larks lie dared to shun the Hobby's flight. 



Dryden. 



Or with my soaring Hobby dare the Lark. 



Somerville— jPi'eM Sports. 



This pretty little Falcon is a migratory species, coming in 

 April, and leaving in October. It is more numerous in some 

 seasons than others ; it is not unfrequent in occurrence throughout 

 the wooded districts of the county. A summer never passes, 

 without the opportunity being afforded of occasionally seeing a 

 pair of these beautiful little Falcons soaring aloft, with their narrow 

 bow-like wings and rapid flight, over the great woods of Hereford- 

 shire. It has lived in several places in the centre of the county, 

 notably at Aconbury, Caplar, the Haugh Wood, and Breinton. 

 The specimen in the Hereford Museum was shot at Aconbury. 



