33^ HOBI3Y. 



South of Scandinavia it is generally distributed over Europe 

 to the Mediterranean, though most numerous from Bulgaria east- 

 ward ; it nests in the pine-woods in the extreme south of Spain, 

 and visits the Canaries, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt, though rare in 

 the last. From Asia Minor we trace its summer-range eastward to 

 Kamschatka, and southward to Cashmere ; while in winter it occurs 

 in China, North India, and South Africa down to Damara Land ; in 

 the Indian region, however, the resident species is F. severi/s, and 

 in South Africa F. aivieri. 



The Hobby is a very late breeder, seldom having eggs before the 

 early part of June, and often not till the end of that month. It 

 never makes a nest for itself, but occupies one which has been built 

 in a tree by a Crow, Magpie, or other bird. The eggs, usually 3 

 and exceptionally 5 in number, are often yellowish-white, closely 

 freckled with rufous, and can then be easily distinguished from 

 those of the Kestrel ; but sometimes they are suffused with reddish- 

 brown and are therefore not so recognizable : average measure- 

 ments I '6 by I 25 in. Previous to laying, the female is much 

 addicted to brooding on an empty nest or upon eggs of the 

 Kestrel ; and careful observers, who were unaware of this fact, have 

 been led to believe that a nest from which the Hobby had been 

 seen to fly really belonged to that bird, when it did not. Although 

 it can seldom be kept in captivity for any length of time, I have 

 known an instance of one, taken as a nestling in 1849, which lived 

 for fifteen years. Dragonflies are a favourite food, and these, with 

 cockchafers and other insects, form its principal prey in summer; but 

 it also devours small birds. It is the terror of Swallows and Martins, 

 which its dash and rapidity of flight enable it to capture on the 

 wing ; Larks (for the pursuit of which it was used by falconers) are 

 especially subject to its harassing attacks in autumn, when it leaves 

 the woodlands and frequents the more open country ; and it will 

 also accompany sportsmen and seize Quails in front of them. 



The adult has the upper parts dark slate-grey, with a black mous- 

 tache-like streak ; cheeks and throat white ; under parts bufifish-white, 

 broadly striped with black ; vent and thighs rusty-red ; cere, orbits 

 and legs yellow. The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is 

 less vivid in colour, though larger in size. Length: male 12 in.; 

 female 14 in. The young bird has the crown of the head mottled 

 with buff, and a decided tinge of that colour on the cheeks and under 

 parts ; the upper feathers are brown, edged with ochreous-white, and 

 the tail has a broad pale tip ; while the vent and thighs are only 

 pale rufous. 



