242 BRITISH BIRDS. 



for a considerable time, but did not utter a note of any 

 kind, and in this respect her behaviour differed widely 

 from that of the male, the latter keeping up an incessant 

 clamour as long* as we remained near. 



Shortly after the appearance of the female, we had 

 several momentary glimpses of two young* birds, which did 

 not appear to have attained their full powers of flight, and 

 were excessively shy, keeping chiefly to the shelter of the 

 wood. Towards the close of August, however, we were 

 fortunate in seeing all three young birds with their 

 parents, and by this time they were almost as strong on 

 the wing as the adults. 



September 22nd was the latest date on which we observed 

 the Hobbies, and apparently soon after this they left the 

 neighbourhood on migration. 



The Hobby has previously been reported as breeding on 

 two occasions in Surrey, a nest and young having been 

 taken near Wanborough in 1879, and althougli the male 

 bird was shot, a pair nested in the same spot the following 

 year {Zoologist, 1902, page 231). There can, however, be 

 little doubt that the bird has occasionally been over- 

 looked as a breeding species in the county. 



During June last the Marsh- Warbler was found nesting 

 in Surrey, and we were kindly informed of the fact by 

 Mr. Graham W. Kerr, the fortunate discoverer of two 

 nests, who has already contributed a detailed account of 

 the event to British Birds {vide sufra, p. 186), so that 

 it is unnecessary to dwell further upon the subject in this 

 article. 



