76 



HOBBY. 



Falco subbuteo, PENNANT. BEWICK. SEI.BY. 



Falco To cut with a bill or hook. Subbuteo, a diminutive of 



JluteoA. Bu/zard. 



To my very dear friend, the Rev. 11. P. Alington, of Swinhope 

 Rectory, Lincolnshire, I am indebted for the original drawing 

 of the "bird before us ; and many others from the same skilful 

 hand will adorn the pages of the present work, in attitudes 

 entirely new and striking. 



The Hobby is a spirited and daring Hawk, and very deter- 

 mined in pursuit of its game, so that it was formerly much 

 esteemed in falconry, and used accordingly for flying at the 

 smaller birds. It may easily be trained to do so, and becomes 

 very tame when kept in confinement. It has been known to 

 dash through a window into a room, at a bird in a cage; 

 and will occasionally follow sportsmen, and pounce upon the 

 small birds put up by the dogs. 



'Though a well-known bird,' Mr. Yarrell correctly says, 'it is 

 not very numerous as a species.' It is, moreover, from its wild 

 nature, difficult to be approached, and when met with within 

 shot, it is generally when off its guard, in pursuit of its prey. 



The Hobby is found thoughout Europe, occurring in Astra- 

 chan, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and many other parts of this 

 continent, and is also known in Asia, in Siberia and India 

 in the latter widely distributed, and in Africa near the Cape 

 of Grood Hope, and no doubt in other districts also. In many 

 parts of England it has not unfrequently occurred. In 

 Yorkshire, principally in the West-Riding, and occasionally 

 near York. It is described by John Hogg, Esq., in a paper 

 communicated by him to the British Association, at its session 

 at York, in the year 1844, and since published in the 'Zool- 

 ogist,' as being a rare species and migratory in Cleveland. 

 In the East-Riding, one was killed near Knapton by a Ipoy, 

 with a stick: it was at the time in the act of devouring a 

 rook. In Devonshire, it has been accustomed to breed in 



