320 BRITISH BIRDS. 



to those who keep trained falcons, or who have access 

 to a large number of specimens collected from the same 

 part of the world. 



At our second visit, on July 18th, the nest contained 

 two downy, white young ones, barely two days out of the 

 shell ; a week later again they were still in the same garb, 

 and we placed migration-rings on their legs. Eight 

 days later (August 8th) the wing- and tail-feathers were 

 about two-thirds grown, the facial feathering nearly 

 complete, and the soft feathering of the ventral pteryla 

 had begun to appear through the white down with which 

 the nestlings were otherwise still clothed. Thirteen days 

 later, on August 21st, we found the nest empty, but it 

 was evident from the actions of the parent Hobbies that 

 the young were close at hand. It will thus be seen that 

 the time in the nest was approximately thirty days. 



Remains of food at the nest, on various occasions were 

 few, they included several beetle-castings, the wing of a 

 Wheatear, and the leg and foot of an adult Swift ; the 

 latter an eloquent tribute to the grand wing-power of 

 these attractive little falcons. 



We have reasons for believing that these Hobbies 

 nested here the previous year also, and shall hope for 

 their return next summer. 



