112 A HAND-LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



southern British Columbia to West Indies, Panama, and South 

 America. 



FALCO SUBBUTEO 



235. Falco subbuteo subbuteo L.— THE HOBBY. 



Falco Subbuteo Linn^us, Syst. Xat., ed. x, i, p. 89 (1758 — Eiirope. 



Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Falco subbuteo Linnaeus, Yarrell, i, p. 65 ; Saunders, p. 349. 



Distribution. — England. — Summer-resident (May to Sept., occa- 

 sionally later). Breeds fairly regularly in counties south of Thames 

 and as far west as Devon (rare migrant Cornwall) and in Salop, 

 Northants, and Gloucester ; less regularly in counties on north side 

 of Thames and in Cambs., Suffolk, Norfolk, and Lines. ; only very 

 occasionally in midlands and exceptionally in Derby., Cheshire, and 

 Yorks. Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. — Rare vagrant. In Scotland 

 once bred (Perth., 1887), and has occurred as far north as Shetlands, 

 but chiefly in south. In Ireland has occurred ten times, chiefly in 

 south-east. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Europe generally, eastwards to west 

 Asia, in winter in Africa and north-west India. Represented by 

 closely-allied races in north-west Africa and various parts of Asia. 



FALCO -REeUL-US * C O L. I ' M B A,R ' v ^ 5 "^ 



236. Falco iegt&us 'regulus W1.--THE MERLIN. 



Falco eegulus Pallas, Reise d. versch. Prov. d. Russ. Reiclis, 11, p. 707 

 (1773— Siberia). 



Falco cesalon Gmelin, Yarrell, i, p. 74 ; F. cesalon Tunstall, Saunders, 

 p. 351. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident. Breeds in many parts 

 Wales, Pennine Range and spurs, moors of north-east Yorks., 

 Cheviots, and throughout Scotland and Ireland in suitable localities. 

 Said to have bred Exmoor (Somerset). In autumn descends to low 

 ground and in winter becomes fairly generally distributed. Probably 

 also a passage of Continental birds. • 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Nesting in Faeroes, Iceland, Scandinavia, 

 north Russia south to Baltic provinces, and in Siberia. On 

 migration to temperate parts of Europe and Asia, as far south as 

 north Africa and north-west India. A paler form is supposed to 

 represent this bird in the Khirgiz steppes. 



* Falco cesalon Tunstall is a nomen nudum, and therefore not acceptable. 

 In the case of F. peregrinus the author gave a clear reference, in this case 

 absolutely none. — E.H. 



t •Brit. B.> 12^., ^. 5 



