THE HOBBY 261 



speed, one behind the other. Then the rearmost 

 bird spurts ahead for forty or fifty yards, when the 

 game is for its fellow to catch it if it can. It 

 generally can or, as must be the case, is allowed to 

 do so. Anyhow, dashing forward with incredible 

 velocity it glides over the leader's head, sometimes, 

 it seems, actually brushing it. Or else, by way of 

 innovation, it will swerve down sharply under the 

 leader, whereupon he or she as the case is will 

 reverse the order of things, and slip over the rising 

 bird ; gambols which suggest a game of winged 

 leap-frog. 



Much of the Hobby's short day short, seeing 

 that, except for the hours of early morn, it 

 comparatively seldom really begins work until close 

 on 4 p.m. is spent on the wing, either in quest 

 of prey or in frolicking with its mate. Every now 

 and again one will settle for a few minutes in some 

 isolated tree standing in the open, or return for a 

 brief rest to the wood of its choice. As the shades 

 of evening begin to steal across heath and woodland 

 you may often approach to within quite a short 

 distance a Hobby quietly digesting its afternoon's 

 meal, when the bird will probably content itself, as 

 well as you, by silently flying to another tree not 

 far off. Often when it is hunting, a Hobby will 

 allow you to stroll up to it within reasonable 

 range ; again, as you make the fragrant heath of 

 the common your temporary couch, one will sail 

 by thirty yards or less away. 



