HOBBY. dl 
FALCO SUBBUTEO. 
HOBBY. 
(Piate 4.) 
Accipiter dendro-falco, Briss. Orn. i. p. 875 (1760). 
Falco subbuteo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 127 (1766); et auctorum plurimorum— 
Temmuinck, Naumann, Gould, Schlegel, (Jerdon), (Hume), Sharpe, &e. 
Falco barletta, Daud. Traité, ii. p. 129 (1800). 
Hypotriorchis subbuteo (Linn.), Bove, Isis, 1826, p. 976. 
Dendrofalco subbuteo (Linn.), Gray, List Gen. B. p. 3 (1840). 
The Hobby has become a rare and local bird in England. It was 
formerly a regular summer visitor ; but the number of occurrences during 
winter suggests that some of the Scandinavian birds do not migrate further 
south. In the northern and western counties it is much rarer; but in 
Scotland it is a regular though local visitor, and is said occasionally to 
breed in Orkney and to pass the Shetlands on migration. Only two 
instances of its occurrence in Ireland are known. 
Its principal breeding-grounds are the forest districts of the north of 
France, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, South Scandinavia, and 
Russia south of lat. 65°. South of the Baltic a few, probably migrants 
from the north, are seen in winter. In Spain, the south of France, Switzer- 
land, Italy, Turkey and Greece, Asia Minor and Palestine it is principally 
known on the spring and autumn migrations; but in all these countries a 
few remain to breed and a few stop the winter. It passes through North 
Africa and the Canaries on migration, and winters in South Africa as far, 
as the Cape; but Heuglin obtained one example in winter in Egypt. East- 
wards it breeds in Northern Persia, Turkestan, and the whole of Siberia 
south of lat. 64°. It passes through Cashmere, Mongolia, North China, 
and Japan on migration, and winters in Northern India and Southern 
China. There are two tropical forms of the Hobby which appear to have 
become completely differentiated and to be now good species :—F. cuvieri 
from South Africa, which may always be distinguished by its smaller size 
and deep-chestnut breast ; and F. severus from India, the Burma penin- 
sula, and the Malay archipelago, a species very nearly allied to the last, 
with the same chestnut breast, but unspotted. 
The Hobby is a miniature Peregrine, not only in appearance but also 
in his character. Swift as the Merlin is, the Hobby is still swifter; and 
his wonderful power of flight makes him bold and courageous. So eager 
is he in the pursuit of his game, that in the ardour of the chase he has 
~ been known to dart through an open window of a carriage on the road, 
and to enter a room in the attempt to seize a caged bird. His courage, 
