The Hobby. 147 



average size is 16 inches, by I'a.s inches. The typical egg is of a pale ochreous 

 colour, dusted over with minute dark red spots, and with one or two small lines 

 and blotches of dark red ; other eggs are reddish, spotted with darker red, greatly 

 resembling those of the Kestrel. Saunders states that " previous to laying the 

 female Hobby is much addicted to brooding on an empty nest, or upon eggs of 

 the Kestrel ; and careful observers, who were unaware of this fact, have been led 

 to believe that a nest, from which a Hobb}' had been seen to fly, really belonged 

 to that bird, when it did not." But, as a rule, there is little difficulty in dis- 

 covering the real nest, as the Hobby becomes very quarrelsome and pugnacious 

 at the breeding season, and by sallying forth to chase and buffet anj- Crow, 

 Magpie, or Jay that may be passing will betray its position. 



The Hobby becomes a very docile pet in captivity ; but Lord Lilford found 

 it difficult to keep his young Hobbies alive, and only in one instance succeeded 

 in doing so through three moults ; Saunders, however, knew of one that lived 

 fifteen 3^ears in confinement. A young Hobby, shot on Lord Lilford's estate, in 

 South Lancashire, by a keeper, followed his pointer when he was Partridge-shooting 

 for a considerable distance, and kept stooping and striking the dog until he was 

 quite disgusted, and came into heel. Lord Lilford termed the Hobb}- " the most 

 agile and swift of all the Falconidas with which I am acquainted." In the summer 

 the Hobby is fond of soaring very high in the air ; its cry closel}- resembles that 

 of the Wryneck or Kestrel. Saunders derives its name from haut-bois, just as the 

 French name for it Faiicoii Iiobcrcaii haut-boisfrjeau, from its frequenting large 

 woods. 



In plumage the adult male is greyish black upon the upper parts ; the two 

 middle tail feathers are uniform greyish black, the others are barred with a lighter 

 colour, the tips are also lighter ; the cheeks and moustache are black ; under parts 

 white, slightly suffused with rufous, on the breast and flanks are longitudinal 

 streaks of black ; thighs and under tail- coverts deep rust}- red ; cere, and orbital 

 space, pale greenish-j^ellow ; legs orange ; claws black ; beak horn colour, darkest 

 at the tip ; irides dark hazel. 



The female is longer than the male ; her colours are duller, and the streaks 

 are broader. Length of male 12 inches, of female 14 inches. In young birds 

 the plumage is tinged with rufous. 



