19G Lieut. R. E. Vuugliau and Staft-Surg. K. II. Jones 



uncommon winter visitor, and at Hong Kong it is quite 

 rare. At Wing On, about three miles from Howlik, there is 

 a pine wood on the summit o£ a hill, which gives a fine view 

 of tlie surrounding country, and here Hobbies congregate in 

 numbers, after the fashion of the Black-eared Kites. On 

 September 5 over forty were seen at this place together ; 

 possibly they were young birds waiting to migrate. 



Although these bii'ds are largely insectivorous, they also 

 attack birds and mammals ; they are not always successful, 

 for one was seen to stoop half a dozen times at a White- 

 faced Wagtail and to miss each time ; eventually it gave it 

 up in disgust ; othei's were noticed to make unavailing 

 attacks on a Swallow and a Bat. 



This bird breeds in south-eastern China from the second 

 week in June until the end of July, and three eggs seem to 

 be the usual clutch, though sometimes four or two are sat 

 upon. Addled eggs are common, and a solitary young bird 

 in a nest is not unusual. 



It cannot be said that the Hobby makes a nest, and 

 indeed it is but seldom that it even lines one. On one 

 occasion a nest of this bird was seen on a small tree which 

 juts out from the second storey of an old pagoda situated 

 right In the great city of Shlu Hlng, where, however, 

 the Hobbles were perfectly safe and Inaccessible. The 

 eggs are generally laid, as at home, In or on an old 

 nest of the Magpie, or that of the Collared Crow, more 

 frequently the former, whilst on one occasion the Crackle 

 {GracuHpica tiigricollis) had been the original architect. 

 Usually the dome of the Magpie's nest Is flattened down 

 and the eggs are laid on the bare sticks, but occasionally 

 a lining of pine needles Is found, Avhlch Is often no doubt 

 accidental ; on other occasions the eggs are laid on the old 

 lining of the nest under the hood, the entrance being en- 

 larged a good deal. 



The Hobby does not at all mind how old or tumble-down 

 the Magpie's nest may be, holes through the side or bottom 

 are no drawback to it as a residence. On one occasion a 

 Crow's nest was found which had been rellned with pine 

 needles, and as it was a nest of the year, this was apparently 



