394= THE GAME PRESERVER'S GUIDE. 



nest, but takes possession of that of the crow or jay, in which 

 the female lays from four to five eggs of a pale bluish white, 

 blotched with dark red and brown, one inch seven lines long, 

 and one inch four lines broad. 



THE HOBBY (Hypotriorcliis subbuteo). 



This is a miniature peregrine falcon, and is only a summer 

 visitor, appearing in this country in April, and leaving in 

 October. Its habits, however, do not resemble those of its 

 larger likeness, inasmuch as it prefers woodlands in the 

 interior of the country. It is not very destructive to game, 

 preferring smaller birds, such as the lark, which it is so fond 

 of pursuing as to have obtained the name of alaudarius. It 

 also feeds on the larger coleoptera. The hobby is about 

 twelve to fourteen inches in length, the female being the 

 larger, but not otherwise differing from the male. The bill 

 is bluish black; cere greenish yellow; iris dark brown; upper 

 parts of the head, neck, and body greyish black, each feather 

 being edged with dirty white; wing feathers black, edged 

 also with dirty white; two middle tail feathers greyish 

 black ; the outer ones slightly barred with a lighter shade ; 

 chin and sides of the neck white ; cheek black ; under parts 

 yellowish white, streaked with brownish black; under tail 

 coverts white ; legs and toes yellow ; claws black. 



In young birds the plumage has a reddish tinge. The 

 nest is built in a high tree, of twigs, but like the sparrow- 

 hawk, it often takes possession of that belonging to another 

 bird. It lays three or four eggs of a dirty white, speckled 

 with reddish brown; length one inch eight lines, breadth one 

 inch four lines. 



THE MERLIN (Hypotriorcliis cesalon). 



This is the least of the British hawks, and is remarkable 

 for its beauty and courage, a male not more than six ounces 

 in weight having been known to kill a partridge more than 

 double its size. Curiously enough, while the hobby is 

 only a summer visitor, this bird, which closely resembles it, 

 comes over to us from beyond the seas in the winter, though 



