258 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



shut pinions, misses a Swift obviously on purpose 

 and then there it is up again high in the heavens 

 soaring placidly, as though Swifts and stooping at 

 them played no part in its heing. That the Hobby 

 can and does catch an occasional Swift, even in fair 

 flight, is shown by the following incident. 



On June 14th, 1907, as I lay in a spacious 

 clearing of a big Sussex woodland, a sudden swirl 

 of wings gave me instant pause in my meditations. 

 Looking-up, my eyes were held by a Swift coasting 

 earthwards in frantic haste, hotly pursued by a 

 Hobby not many yards in his wake. I literally held 

 my breath with excitement, for here was an 

 occurrence of dreamland only. Speeding on about 

 a level with the tree-tops both birds measure the 

 length of the long glade in fractional time, and the 

 hawk gains almost imperceptibly. Then the pur- 

 sued makes a mighty effort ; he rises gamely, even 

 slightly increasing his lead. Indeed it seemed he 

 might shake of! his deadly courser. Alas, my 

 friend, it is to no purpose : the Hobby has responded 

 to your challenge, and now exhibits speed for which 

 glorious flyer though he be I should never have 

 given him credit. Mounting with ease above his 

 prospective prey, the lithe hawk compels him to 

 describe an arc and once again to start a life or 

 death struggle in a headlong slant across the 

 clearing. That flight is his last the Swift has shot 

 his bolt. Now inches only separate the birds : you 

 could cover both with a very large handkerchief. 



