FALCO SUBBUTEO. 193 



of the eggs were slightly sat on ; the third, much lighter in 

 colour, was addled, which is often the case with eggs faintly 

 marked or differing from the usual colouring. 



On the Spanish side of the Straits I did not succeed in 

 obtaining this Falcon near Gibraltar, but have seen them on the 

 wing, as has Verner in the Sierra Enmedio. They were found 

 nesting on pine-trees in the Goto del Hey, near Seville. In one 

 instance, an old nest was used, from which three years previously 

 I had shot a Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris) and taken two eggs. The 

 last nest found contained eggs at the end of March. 



Adults. Forehead whitish ; crown and nape pale rufous, with very 

 narrow black frontal line ; moustachial stripe very small and narrow. 

 Young. Crown and nape lighter. Length 16-18 inches. 



204. Falco eleonoree, Gene. The Eleonora Falcon. 



I never met with this species on either side of the Straits ; and 

 there is no authentic record of a specimen having been obtained 

 in Andalucia. Gilbert White's brother, the Rev. John White, 

 writing from Gibraltar about 1776, mentions the Hobby as 

 nesting at the " back of the Rock." If a Hobby did nest there, 

 it could not well have been any species but the Eleonora Falcon, 

 as the true Hobby (Falco subbuteo) is a tree-nesting bird. The 

 Eleonora Falcon, however, occurs at Mogador, and used to breed 

 there. 



Adult. Entirely blackish brown. Wings as in next, very long. 



Immature. Marked below somewhat as Hobby, but lower parts more 

 rufous ; black moustache. Tail much banded with rufous and black. 

 Length 15^ inches. 



205. Falco subbuteo, Linnaeus. The Hobby. 

 Spanish. Alcotan. 



According to Favier this little Falcon is seen near Tangier in 

 pairs on passage only, " crossing to Europe in May, returning in 

 autumn to winter further south." 



Near Gibraltar the Hobby appears in the same manner ; the 



o 



