THE HOBBY 253 



ferably in that of a Carrion-Crow. Naturally, how- 

 ever, where Crows and ' Pies ' are absent, 

 recourse may be had to the abandoned abode of 

 Heron, Ring-Dove or Sparrow-Hawk, or even to 

 the " drey " of a squirrel. The Weald of Sussex 

 affords a capital illustration of the Hobby's 

 scarcity, in an apparently suitable area, for no 

 apparent reason, since that part of the county is 

 uncommonly well-wooded, much of the forest 

 region is remarkably secluded, while, although in 

 the true forest land Crows and Magpies are 

 extremely rare, Sparrow-Hawks and Ring-Doves 

 are on the other hand abundant and squirrels are 

 fairly plentiful. 



I am confident that the Hobby is badly over- 

 looked by most classes, not even excepting many 

 naturalists and keepers who, after all, stand the 

 best chance of coping with matters ornithological. 

 It is true that the latter in June and July when 

 the Hobby is breeding have all their work cut 

 out for them in the pheasant-rearing fields, and 

 merely take stock and toll of those hawks practi- 

 cally only the Sparrow-Hawk with an occasional 

 delinquent Kestrel which visit the coops with 

 intent nefarious. This the Hobby seldom if ever 

 does. Moreover, being absent in the winter, as 

 well as a late breeder, the Hobby escapes the 

 sportsman's gun during much of the shooting- 

 season, and the misplaced and bloodthirsty zeal of 

 the keeper who looks for hawks' eggs during May, 



