52 FALCONID^. 
eggs. The last nest found contained eggs at the end of 
March. 
The Lanner is distinguishable by the top of the head and 
nape being rufous in the adult and almost white in the 
young, though I have seen young Peregrines marked in the 
same manner. 
The entire length is about 18 inches. 
28. Falco eleonor^. Eleonora Falcon. 
I have never met with this species on either side of the 
Straits; and there is no authentic record of a specimen 
having been obtained in Andalucia. Gilbert White's brother, 
the Rev. John White, writing from Gibraltar, mentions the 
Hobby as nesting at the " back of the Rock" more than a 
hundred years ago. If a Hobby did nest there, it could not 
well have been any species but the Eleonora Falcon, as the 
true Hobby {Falco subbuteo) is a tree-nesting bird. The 
Eleonora Falcon, however, occurs at Mogador, and nests 
there. It is distinguishable by its larger size from F. subbuteo, 
and differs also in its dark uniform plumage when adult. 
29. Falco subbuteo. The Hobby. 
According to Favier this little Falcon is seen near Tangier 
in pairs on passage only, ^'crossing to Europe in May, 
returning in autumn to winter further south." 
Near Gibraltar the Hobby appears in the same manner; 
the earliest dates on which I noticed them were the 8th of 
April, 13th of April, and 20th of April, in three different years. 
1 saw them near Seville very early in May ; but there is not 
as yet any authentic record of their breeding there. 
30. Falco .esalon, Tunst. The Merlin. 
Spanish. Esmerejon. 
'•' Occurs during winter near Tangier, coming from Europe 
in September, returning north in March." — Favier. 
The Merlin is not uncommon in open ground in Andalucia 
in December and January. The earliest I saw was on the 
2 4th of November, the latest on the 7th of March. About 
