260 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



turns and flings itself about with amazing agility, 

 power, and control, resembling a coil of wire 

 springs hopelessly overwound. Really there is no 

 machinery out of gear ; the bird 's steel sinews and 

 strong wings see to all that ; and up the frolicsome 

 bird streaks all animation and dash. 



Yet another time a pair will ring up, higher 

 yet and higher, to soar at an immense altitude, 

 calling at intervals, till they look like tiny twin 

 crosses pencilled darkly on a background of blue- 

 grey ; or else they sail round and round in ever- 

 widening circles, then resembling more than ever 

 their big cousin the Peregrine. Then from that 

 giddy height one will dive down almost vertically 

 to within a few feet of the ground, and sweep up 

 with a delightfully deft scoop, to commence turning 

 and twisting with a precision of wing which borders 

 on the marvellous. In a measure this " whirligig ' 

 mode of flight if one may use such a slang 

 expression only it is, of course, ever more 

 powerful, recalls that of the Nightjar : so much so, 

 that those who in the gloaming have mistaken a 

 Hobby for a Nightjar, may well be excused. For 

 the Hobby hunts late ; it follows its prey far on 

 into the dying twilight ; Owls and Nightjars have 

 fully commenced their day when the Hobby thinks 

 of rest. 



Sometimes, especially towards evening, a pair 

 will indulge in w r hat may well be termed an aerial 

 gymkhana. Round and round they ring at top 



