16 

 18. SUBBUTEO. HOBBY. 



Jp. Subcceruleo nigricans, subtus albus maculis oblonyis 

 fuscis, genis utrinque macula descendente nigra. 

 Shaw. 



The bill is blue ; the cere and orbits yellow ; the 

 irides orange, (Bewick) dusky, (Montagu) the head 

 and upper parts dark dusky brown, almost black, and 

 dashed with ash colour; the feathers margined with 

 pale rufous brown; over the eye is a light stroke ; be- 

 neath the eye a black patch, extending in a point 

 from the upper mandible, down each side of the 

 throat; the chin and throat are white; the breast, belly, 

 thighs, and under tail coverts are ferruginous, palest 

 on the former, marked with dusky streaks : the tail 

 is like the back, barred on the inner webs with rust 

 colour, except the middle feathers ; tip whitish, the 

 legs are yellow, the claws black. Montagu. 



Length 12 inches, weight 7oz. 



The hobby breeds in England, and migrates in 

 October. 



The female lays 3 or 4 white eggs. 



