272 FALCONID^ FALCO 



505. Falco subbuteo. Hobby. 



Falco subbuteo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 127 (1766) ; Dresser, B. Eur. v., 

 p. 69, pi. 379 (1871) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. i, p. 395 (1874) ; id. ed. 

 Layard's B. S.Afr. p. 59 (1875) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1882, p. 152 ; Shelley, 

 B. Afr. i, p. 145 (1896) ; Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 259 [near Salisbury] ; 

 Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 434 [Zambesi] ; Beichenoiv, Vog. Afr. i, p. 

 628 (1901). 



Hypotriorchis subbuteo, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 21 (1867) [in part] ; 

 Gurney in Anderssorts B. Damaraland, p. 14 (1872). 



Description. Adult male. (Ovampoland) General colour above, 

 dark slaty-grey, darkest on the head, lighter on the rump, most of 

 the feathers with dark shaft streaks ; forehead and eyebrow whitish, 

 nape tinged with rufous ; primaries darker than the back, both they 

 and the tail-feathers barred with rufous on the inner webs ; 

 moustache-streak and patch round the eye black ; chin, throat, and 

 breast very pale rufous, the latter with conspicuous brown longi- 

 tudinal streaks ; abdomen, flanks, thighs, and under tail-coverts rich 

 rufous ; under wing-coverts pale rufous mottled with black. 



Iris dark-brown; bill bluish-black, yellowish at the base; cere, 

 orbits, and feet yellow. 



Length 12-0; wmg9'60; tail 5-25 ; culmen 0-75 ; tarsus 1-35. 



The female is larger, length 13 - 5 ; wing 10*6. 



A young bird is greyish-black above, with fulvous edging and 

 tips to the feathers; the forehead is white, the nape spot is more 

 conspicuous, almost forming a collar, and is nearly white ; ear- 

 coverts black ; below, the ground colour is white to pale rufous 

 throughout, and the spots are continued on to the thighs and flanks ; 

 the rufous bars on the tail are also more conspicuous. 



Distribution. The European Hobby breeds throughout Europe 

 and the greater part of Asia, from Spain and England eastwards to 

 Kamtschatka and Japan ; during the northern winter months it 

 migrates southwards to India and the eastern half of Africa, extend- 

 ing its wanderings as far south as the neighbourhood of Cape 

 Town. 



Within our limits it is not very common. It does not appear to 

 have been noticed in the Transvaal nor can it be abundant in 

 Natal, as the only occurrence there recorded, so far as I am aware, 

 is based on a single example in the British Museum. Most of the 

 birds met with in South Africa appear to be young of the year. 



The following are localities : Cape Colony Cape division, 

 March (S. A. Mus.) Beaufort West, George and Swellendam 



