HOBBY. 47 



its presence, and by exhibiting it in a particular way, to 

 catch male Skylarks;*" but it is more common with thi-m 

 to use the stuffed skin of a small Hawk or Owl, with its 

 wings extended, than a living bird. The mode of proceed- 

 ing will be described under the article on the Skylark. 



The Hobby, though a well-known bird, is not very nu- 

 merous as a species. It chooses a high tree to make its 

 nest on, occasionally taking to the remains of one of suit- 

 able size that has been deserted. The female lays three or 

 four eggs, like those of all the true Falcons in shape and 

 colour, that is, of a short oval form, speckled all over 

 with reddish brown on a dirty white ground ; the length, 

 one inch eight lines ; the breadth, one inch four lines. 



The localities to be quoted for the Hobby, though ex- 

 tending over considerable geographical range, are not very 

 numerous. Dr. Moore has noticed it in Devonshire, and 

 finds that it breeds in Warleigh Woods. From Mr. 

 Thompson of Belfast, I have received the information that 

 this species occurred twice to the late Mr. Templeton, and 

 was said to have been found breeding among rocks on the 

 mountains of Wicklow and Londonderry. Mr. Doubleday 

 has obtained two specimens in the vicinity of Epping ; and 

 Mr. Paget says it is not uncommon during summer in Nor- 

 folk. In the collection of Messrs. Hancock at Newcastle, 

 is a specimen killed in the county of Durham. Muller 

 says it inhabits Denmark and Norway ; and Pennant, in 

 his Arctic Zoology, says it visits Siberia. 



The Hobby is an inhabitant of the continent of Europe 

 generally ; it is found at Corfu, Sicily, and Malta. The 

 Zoological Society possess specimens from Tangiers ; and 

 it is most probably spread over the northern part of Africa : 



* In reference to the various modes of taking Larks with the Hobby, one of the 

 old names for this species was alaudarius. 



