HOBBY 75 



Peter's Church, in the centre of Berlin. Often it will use the abandoned nest of 

 some other bird-of-prey, or of a heron or raven ; while, if it take a fancy to an 

 occupied nest, it will force the owners to leave. 



Birds from the size of a lark to that of a duck, or even a wild goose, are the 

 prey of the peregrine, but its favourite victim is the partridge. It can only catch 

 birds as they fly, and swoops on its prey with such force that it sometimes injures 

 itself on the ground. Its flight is exceedingly swift, and mostly at a moderate 

 height ; and, on rising, it flies at first with outspread tail, going a long distance, but 

 keeping low. The sweeping, circling flight, the slender body, long, narrow, pointed 

 wings and thin tail distinguish it from other birds-of-prey. As a nesting-bird, 

 the peregrine is increasing in numbers in the British Isles but becoming rare in 

 Germany, though when once it has established its nest in a ruined tower, or in 

 the forest or its outskirts, it is not to be driven away, even by robbing its eggs 

 or young. Most of those nesting in central Europe migrate in autumn : and are 

 replaced by visitors from the north, while throughout the winter they are met 

 with on their passage, though their numbers are greatest in March and September. 



The hobbj T (Falco subbuteo) is a much smaller bird, which may 

 sometimes build in high trees, but in Britain generally takes posses- 

 sion of the deserted nest of a crow or a magpie. Never building in the hollow of 

 a tree, although it may occasionally do so in a rocky crevice, on the Russian 

 steppes it generally nests on the ground. Rarely attacking birds in the forest, 

 this falcon preys on those frequenting the fields, the speediest of which are 

 unable to escape its clutches when on the wing, for the hobby is one of the swiftest 

 of European birds-of-prey. Bold and resolute, the hobby never tries to strike 

 birds on the ground, but swoops on them as they fly with such rapidity that it 

 can hardly be recognised. It will feed on flying insects as well as birds, but 

 will never touch carrion. Larks and swallows are its favourite victims ; larks 

 being so terrified at its approach, that they often fall to the ground, where 

 they may be caught in the hand. If they notice their enemy in time they fly 

 high in the air, where it never follows them. Later on — when the larks are able 

 to hide in the corn — the hobby turns his attention to swallows, which, although 

 they mob every other bird-of-prey, dare not attempt this with him, and escape 

 either by flying to a great height, or by dashing into a patch of reeds, or other 

 hiding-place. Should a swallow separate from the rest, it is pursued, and if young 

 and unable to fly well, is invariably caught. Sometimes the hobby begins the 

 chase with a series of seemingly capricious curves. Occasionally male and female 

 hunt together, and generally quarrel over the prey ; but should the cock offer his 

 booty to his partner, it is received with screams of pleasure. The hobby feeds its 

 young while flying in the air, as do swallows: later on the parents drop their 

 capture to the young birds, which fly a little lower and catch it in their claws ; 

 sometimes they miss it, whereupon the old ones swoop down and seize it before 

 reaching the ground. Later still the young birds will fly up close to the old ones, 

 snatch the food from them with their beaks, and dash off with it in their claws to 

 devour it on some lofty tree. Young hobbies awake rather late in the morning, 

 but immediately fly round above the forest, and after sunrise begin hunting in the 



