THE HOBBY 357 



It will follow the sportsman and seize a Quail in front 

 of him, according to the late Howard Saunders, but 

 Lord Lilford demurred to this, and said a Hobby will 

 wait on over ranging dogs, on the chance of a young or 

 moulting Skylark, but never attack game birds, as it 

 could not hold them. It is a terror to Larks as well as 

 Swallows, but it does some good in reducing the numbers 

 of cockchafers and dragonflies, which are favourite 

 articles of its diet, with other small insects. 



In our country it never makes a nest for itself, but it 

 takes possession of one that has been built by a Crow, 

 Magpie or other bird, in a tree. The female has a 

 curious habit of brooding on an empty nest or upon eggs 

 of the Kestrel before she lays her own. In autumn it 

 leaves the woodlands to take to the open country. 



Cowley wrote : 



" Like larks when they the tyrant hobby spy, 

 Some wonderstrook, stand fix'd, some fly." 



And Dryden : 



" Larks lie dar'd to shun the hobbies' flight." 



The Hobby is as big as a small pigeon, but has a 

 slenderer body. The tip of the wing reaches to the end 

 of the tail or even beyond it. Legs and cere are yellow. 

 The eyes are dark brown, with a keen expression. The 

 serrated bill is yellowish at its base, but black at the 

 tip, which is strongly curved. The back is slate-coloured, 

 while breast and belly are marked with black longi- 

 tudinal stripes on a light ground. The Hobby builds 

 its nest in the tops of high trees in small woods. The 

 eggs number three or four, and are marked with thick 

 rusty-brown spots and streaks on a ground-colour of pale 

 buff. 



