HOBBY. 



33 



flew off before the female left the nest ; and whilst Norgate was climbing 

 the trees both parents flew round in an excited and alarmed manner, 

 sometimes diving amongst the brushwood and occasionally very near him, 

 so that he could see their colours very distinctly. Their cries reminded 

 him very much of those of the Kestrel. In one of the nests and on the 

 ground near another were feathers of the Swallow. 



Mr. John Cordeaux also informs me that the Hobby still nests annually 

 in North and Mid Lincolnshire. 



Its food consists of small birds, especially Larks, which it is said always 

 to catch on the wing. It must, however, occasionally feed on the ground, 

 as Dr. Holland informs me that ants have been found in its crop, and 

 Bogdanow says that it eats lizards and mice. It teaches its young to hunt 

 by dropping food for them to catch, and gives them further lessons by 

 leading them to practise hawking on dragonflies. Dr. Holland informs 

 me that the period of incubation lasts three weeks, and that, although it 

 annexes an empty Magpie's or Crow's nest, it relines it with hair, wool, 

 and feathers. The eggs of the Hobby vary in length from 1'8 to 1'6 inch, 

 and in breadth from 1 '4 to 1 "3 inch. They are scarcely distinguishable 

 from those of the Kestrel, but are generally rougher in texture and not so 

 brilliant a red or so boldly spotted. 



The general colour of the upper parts is greyish or bluish black ; the 

 two middle tail-feathers uniform greyish black, the others barred with a 

 lighter colour, the tips also lighter ; moustachial line broad and black. 

 Underparts white, slightly suffused with rufous, the breast and flanks 

 longitudinally marked with blackish. Thighs, and under tail-coverts deep 

 rusty red. Cere, bare space round the eye, and legs yellow ; claws black ; 

 bill horn-colour, darkest at the tip ; iris dark brown. The female bird is 

 larger than the male ; her colours are duller, and the streaks broader. 



VOL. I. 



