i ae, 
with clock-work precision to dodge the strokes of the Hobby, or one 
or other of the falcon family, nevertheless keeping together, no 
matter what the size of the flock may be, or how many young birds 
are amongst them, occasionally one-batch gets seperated, which keep 
up the evolutions on a smaller scale, till the two groups mancevre 
close enough to rejoin. Hobby, more often than not, retires “blown” 
and panting from the chase, to recover strength and fresh energy for 
another shot, or flies off in search of some sickly bird it might 
chance to meet, or unwary reptile. Hobbies have longish wings and 
tarsi, the latter with hexagonal scales protecting them ; legs and 
bill are not so strong, and the former so muscular, as the true 
Faleons. Their plumage is darker in colour. Indian Hobby (14)—a 
more appropriate name would have been Himalayan Hobby, is (male) 
103" long, wings very long, reaching beyond, tip of the tail ; feet 
large ; tail short and more square shape; bill plumbeous ; cere, 
orbitar, skin, and legs, reddish yellow ; above, the colour is dark 
slaty blue; sides of the head black; under parts of the body 
rusty red. 
(13) Hyporriorcuis Supputeo, The Hobby, is also. seen in 
Darjeeling, more frequently in the cold weather and spring. It is 
a shade bigger than Severus, male being about 10% inches in length 
and female 12% inches. It has occasionally been found building its 
nest at a high elevation, but usually passes over into Central Asia. 
Colour, above, is black with a slaty tinge ; under parts are white, 
breast and abdomen with dark brown streaks, under tail coverts 
ferruginous also the thighs ; tail slaty with dark bands ; the stripes 
on either side of the head, light chesnut ; cheek stripe black, cheeks 
black, cere and legs greenish yellow. 
(17) Trnnuncutus ALauparius, Kestrel. This bird is more 
frequently seen in the plains in winter. It is occasionally met with 
in Darjeeling, when it is in hot pursuit after birds usually weaker on 
the wing. When it flies in among a number of birds of various size, 
there is generally a hurry scurry in which each bird makes for the 
nearest shelter. In the confusion which follows, the kestrel gets 
a bit distracted at the plethora of opportunities, and ends in secur- 
ing nothing. When it makes, from a coin of vantage on a tall tree, 
a well aimed plunge, it shoots down in an oblique line with the blind 
speed of a rocket, it seldom misses, unless the quarry has moved 
a foot or two as soon as the plunge is made, in which case it shoots 
past the object, which gives the bird, if it is a thrush, a chance of 
escape. The kestrel is often, trained to strike Ortelans and the like, 
occasionally quails. In Darjeeling I have seen them go full tilt after 
bigger birds than themselves. I was, one morning within the biggish 
wire enclosure of the fowl house, with the door wide open, Two 
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