14 CLARKE: THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



FALCO SUBBUTEO L. 

 Hobby. 



A rare casual visitant. 



The Hobby is only occasionally observed. The summer 

 months are the usual time for its appearance, but instances are 

 recorded of its having been obtained in the months of October 

 (the 31st), December^ and February, contrary to what might be 

 expected of a species regarded as a summer visitor to Britain. 



This bird is described by Mr. Hewitson in his British Oology, 

 (1838) as " more common in some parts of Yorkshire than else- 

 where." Mr. Heppenstall of Sheffield in 1843 mentions it as 

 pretty generally distributed in that district in the summer months, 

 and Dr. Farrar of Barnsley writing in 1844 says it is far from 

 uncommon. Whatever may have been its abundance in former 

 years in South Yorkshire, it is now, as far as I have been able to 

 ascertain, only to be regarded as a rare casual visitor to that and 

 all other parts of the county. As regards North Yorkshire we find 

 that in Cleveland Mr. John Hogg in his paper read before the 

 British Association at its York session in 1844 (published after- 

 wards in the Zoologist for 1845) describes it as being a rare species 

 and migratory ; and Mr. R. Lee, of Thirsk, a taxidermist and 

 accurate observer, states that he has only seen one in his twelve 

 years' experience. 



Mr. A. G. More in his paper on the distribution of Birds in 

 Britain during the breeding season (Ibis, 1865) mentions it as 

 breeding occasionally in Yorkshire. He has since informed me 

 in reply to my inquiries that the only locality known to him was 

 Rossington Wood, near Doncaster, and that his informant was 

 the late Mr. Hugh Reid. 



I know of one instance of its having nested at Bishop Wood 

 near Selby, in the summer of 1869 (year not quite certain), when 

 its eggs were taken from a crow's nest. This fact was related to 

 me by the late keeper, Wm. Harland, who further informed me 

 that the eggs were in the possession of Mr. A. R. Kell of Barnsley, 

 in whose collection I have seen them. 



Trans. Y.N.U., 1879. Series B 



