FALCO. 73 



69. FalCO SUbbllteo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 127; Gould, B. Eur. 

 i. pi. 22 ; Blyth, Ibis, 1863^.9. Hypotriorchis subbuteo, Boie, Isis, 1826, 

 p. 976 ; Gray, Gen, B. i. p. 20 ; Jerd. B, Ind. i. p. 33, No. 13; Hume, Rough 

 Notes, i. p. 85 ; id. Stray F. ix. 282. The HOBBY. 



Adult Male. Top of head, back, scapulars and wing-coverts bluish black, 

 the latter sometimes tinged with rusty ; lower back and rump clear slaty grey. 

 Forehead and eyebrow, whitish ; nape tinged with rufous, forming two indis- 

 tinct rufous spots. Lores, cheek stripe, feathers below the eye and ear-coverts 

 black. Throat and sides of the neck, creamy white, tinged with rufous, the 

 breast and abdomen the same, streaked mesially with dark brown, narrow on 

 the centre of the abdomen, and wider on the flanks ; vent, under tail coverts 

 and thigh coverts rich ferruginous. Under wing coverts buffy white with 

 some transverse dark bars. Quills blackish, barred internally with rufous. 

 Tail dark slaty or slaty grey, barred on their inner webs with rufous, and tipped 

 with whitish. 



Length. 1 1 to 11-5 inches ; wing 9*5 to 9-6 ; tail 5-5 ; tarsus 1-25. Females 

 are larger. Length 13-5 ; wing IO-6 ; tail 6-5 ; tarsus 1-4. 



The young bird is dark or grey brown above, the feathers edged with 

 fulvous. Cheek stripe darker. Forehead and superciliary fulvous white ; 

 sides of the neck, nape, throat, and under surface creamy buff ; lower abdo- 

 men and thigh coverts with a rufous tinge, and streaked mesially with brown. 

 These streaks are rather broad and distinct on the breast, and long and narrow 

 on the under tail coverts. Wings and tail as in the adult black, and banded 

 with rufous. 



Hal. The whole of Europe and Northern Asia, extending to India and 

 North China, and migrating in winter to South Africa (Sharpe}. It has also 

 been found in Nepaul and Darjeeling, also in Kumaon, Oudh, Dhurmsala, 

 between Mussoorie and Gangootri, Northern Guzerat, Kutch, and Jerdon killed 

 one at Jaulnah. In Sind it was obtained by Mr, S. Doig at Hydrabad in the 

 month of June. 



The Hobby is a winter visitant. Nothing is known of its breeding habits in 

 India. Mr. Hume says, although common enough in some parts of the 

 Himalayas, it is a rare visitant and if it breeds anywhere within our limits, it 

 would probably be in the higher ranges of the hills. From Kumaon, Mr. R. 

 Thompson, writing to Mr. Hume in September, says he saw flocks of the Hobby 

 hunting about for insects which appear to be its food. Snipe, plovers, 

 swallows and sandpipers, it is also very partial to. The nest of the Hobby 

 which is built of sticks and lined with moss or hair is usually placed in the top- 

 most branches of trees in forests. Eggs 2 to 4 in number, short and oval, of a 

 dingy white or bluish white ground colour, much speckled all over with reddish 

 or yellowish brown. 

 10 



