249 



CHAP. XLII. 



NAXrRAL raSTORY OF THE FALCON CONTINFED. — THE HOBBY. — 



THE KESTREL : ITS HABITS. — THE MERLIN. — THE KITE. 



ANECDOTES. 



The hobby is a long winged hawk, and though small in 

 bulk, his length of wings and form of beak and talons 

 rank him high in the list of both naturalist and 

 falconer. He is thus described : length, twelve inches ; 

 spread of wing, twenty-six ; tail, five and three-quarters, 

 rather rounded, and furnished with twelve broad accu- 

 minated feathers ; tips of the wings, which reach 

 beyond the extremity of the tail, are narrow, and rather 

 pointed towards the extremity. The first primary is 

 notched out on the inner web, and is but little shorter 

 than the second, which has its outer web slightly cut 

 out. The bill is blue ; cere and orbit of the eye, yellow : 

 irides, orange ; a light-coloured streak passes over each 

 eye ; the top of the head and back are bluish black ; 

 wing coverts the same, but in some are edged with 

 rust colour ; the hinder part of the neck is marked 

 with two pale yellow spots ; a black mark from behind 

 each eye is extended down on the neck ; the breast and 

 belly are pale, marked with dirty streaks ; wings brown ; 

 the two middle tail feathers deep dove colour, the 

 others barred with rust, and tipped with white ; the 

 legs and feet are yellow. The female is larger than the 

 VOL. II. s 



