166 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
which it repairs. In the summer of 1840 a pair of Hobbies 
took up their abode in the deserted nest of a Magpie on a 
large elm, standing in a hedgerow within the lordship of 
Houghton. Some of the young birds were taken from the nest 
and made pets of by a neighbouring gentleman, who kept them for 
some time. Chaplin, of Groby, in the month of September, 1841, 
met with this species in Martenshaw Wood. The parent birds 
were destroyed, and the young ones taken away.”’ In addition to 
the localities named the Hobby has been met with at Coleorton, 
in 1874; at Gumley Wood, on several occasions ; at Rothley, in 
March, 1880; and at Stockerston Wood, where two were shot in 
the summer of 1881. One was chasing the other, and both were 
killed by one discharge, and hung on a tree with other vermin. 
Some years ago I purchased a male, killed at Hinckley, and 
another at Sir Beaumont Dixie’s sale in September last, which 
was shot at Bosworth Park. Both are now in the Leicester 
Museum. The late Mr. Widdowson reported three during 1880, 
and wrote that it had bred at Burleigh Park, Oakham, since 
1880. Elkington has received several within the past twenty 
years, reporting one, a male, caught by nets in 1882. 
Falco esalon, Tunstall. Merlin. —An uncommon winter 
visitant. According to Potter it has occurred near Sheepshed, 
and Harley states that it comes to our woodlands in autumn, 
remaining during the winter months only. Mr. J. B. Ellis 
presented to the Museum, on Jan. 30th, 1882, an adult female 
Merlin in the flesh, shot at Bardon Hill, and has informed me of 
two others since then, one of which was shot. Ingram writes, 
‘“‘Taken occasionally at Belvoir.” Widdowson reports several 
during the last few years. Hlkington received a female shot at 
Dunton Bassett on Dec. 11th, 1885. 
Tinnunculus vespertinus (Linn.). Red-footed Falcon.—The 
MS. Donation Book, Leicester Town Museum, records the 
presentation, by the Literary and Philosophical Society, on 
Feb. 22nd, 1866, of an ‘‘ Orange-legged Hobby, shot near the 
Machine House, Belgrave Road, July 1st, 1865,” with a note in 
the margin, ‘first recorded specimen in this county.” It is still 
in the Museum, but, from certain facts which have come to my 
knowledge, I doubt its authenticity. 
Tinnunculus alaudarius (Gmelin). Kestrel. —- Resident and 
commonly distributed. Macaulay considers that since the 
