210 BRITISH BIRDS 



breeding- sites. It makes no nest, the eggs being deposited i& a 

 slight hollow scratched in the soil on a ledge of a cliff. When it 

 breeds in a tree it makes use of the deserted nest of some other bird. 

 Two to four eggs are laid, yellowish white in ground-colour, mottled 

 and spotted with reddish brown and orange-brown. 



The peregrine preys almost exclusively on birds ducks, waders, 

 pigeons, grouse, partridges and it has been seen to kill kestrels, 

 jays, and magpies. 



It has a sharp, powerful cry, uttered two or three times in rapid 

 succession on the wing. 



Hobby. 



Falco subbuteo. 



Upper parts bluish black ; under parts reddish yellow with 

 longitudinal brown streaks; moustaches broad, black; lower tail- 

 coverts and legs reddish ; beak bluish, dark at the tip ; cere 

 greenish yellow; iris dark brown; feet yellow; claws black. 

 Female : colours less bright, and the streaks below broader. Length, 

 twelve to fourteen inches. 



The hobby in appearance is a lesser peregrine, being about one- 

 fifth smaller than that bird. It differs from the peregrine in having 

 a softer plumage and a comparatively greater length of whig. It 

 is probably the fastest flier among rapacious birds, being capable of 

 the marvellous feat of capturing swallows and martins in the air. 

 It is a summer visitant to this country, and is most often met with 

 in the southern counties of England, where, however, it is a 

 rare species; and the farther north we go the rarer it becomes. 

 In Scotland it is not known to breed, and it does not range to 

 Ireland. It inhabits woods, and breeds hi an old nest of the carrion 

 crow, jay, or some other bird, which it does not re-line. Three eggs 

 are usually laid, and in some rare instances four or five. In size 

 and colour they are not distinguishable from those of the kestrel. 



The hobby is a spirited bird, but in courage and power greatly 

 inferior to the peregrine. He preys principally on dragon-flies, 

 beetles, and other large insects, and on small birds, such as skylarks 

 and buntings. In falconry, the hobby was trained to fly at such 

 small game as larks, snipe, and quail. 



