424 HOBBY 



also credited with eating those of an aroid {Montrichardia arhorescens), 

 which grows plentifully in its haunts. " Its voice is a harsh, grating 

 hiss," continues the same traveller, and "it makes the noise when 

 alarmed, all the individuals sibilating as they fly heavily away from 

 tree to tree, when disturbed by passing canoes." It exhales a very 

 stronw odour — wherefore it is known in British Guiana as the 

 " Stink-bird " ^ — compared by him to " musk combined with wet 

 hides," and by Deville to that of a cow-house. The species is said 

 to be polygamous ; the nest is built on trees, of sticks loosely placed 

 above one another, and softer materials atop. Therein the hen 

 lays her eggs to the number of three or four, of a dull yellowish- 

 white, somewhat profusely marked with reddish blotches and spots, 

 so as to resemble those of some of the Piallidse (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, 

 pi. XV. fig. 7, p. 164). The nestling has a claw on the index as 

 well as the pollex, sufficiently developed to be functional, and enable 

 the bird to creep about, and even raise itself by their aid, which 

 is more than a young Grebe is able to do. In the valley of the 

 Amazon it is called the " Cigano " or Gipsy, and in no part of the 

 country where it occurs does it seem to be regarded witli much favour. 

 Only one species of the genus is known to have existed, for Mr. 

 Wallace's statement {Geogr. Distrih. Animals, i. p. 164) that remains of 

 a second have been found in Brazilian caves originated in a mistake. 



HOBBY (Fr. 2 Eohreau and Hohereau, Old Fr. Hoh6, Hoherd, 

 Aubreau, Aubrier, Ouhrier, and other forms; Proven9al, Allan; Italian, 

 Albanella^) one of the smallest and most graceful of the British 

 Falcons, the Falco or Hypotriorchis subbuteo of ornithology, the type 

 of a very distinct group of Falconidx comprising a considerable num- 

 ber of forms, in life at once recognizable by their bold upstanding 

 posture, and at any time by their long wings. The Hobby is a 

 bird of great power of flight, chiefly used in the capture of insects, 

 which form its ordinary food. It is a summer-visitant to most parts 

 of Europe, including these islands, frequenting woodland districts, 

 and is most wantonly and needlessly destroyed by ignorant game- 

 keepers. A second European species of the group is the beautiful 

 F. eleonorx, which hardly comes further north than the countries 



1 According to Mr. Quel eh, whose notes {loc. cit.) on the habits of the bird 

 are very valuable, the name most commonly used is "Hanna." 



- According to Littre, the French names are derived from the English, which, 

 as Prof. Skeat kindly informs me, is allied to hober (whence, hover), to stir or 

 move from place to place, and from the same root also come hobby, a small (active) 

 horse, hobelcr, a light horseman, and some other words. 



"5 This name seems to belong properly to birds of the genus Circus (Harrier), 

 but has been misappropriated in the same way as the German Weissbdcklcin, to 

 say nothing of Subbuteo and Hypotriorchis (which Gesner says should be Gypotri- 

 orchis). Seeing how very distinct Hobbies and Harriers are in behaviour, haunts 

 and appearance, the confusion or change of name is inexplicable. 



