161 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



visitor in small numbers to tliis country, and by some is believed to restrict 

 itself almost to the same area as that chosen by the Nightingale. It is 

 certainly extremely rare as far west as Cornwall ; bat in Devonshire, ■where 

 the Nightingale is scarce, and in the southern part of the county especially, 

 it frequently occurs, and may still nest occasionally in the large woods 

 skirting the southern edges of Dartmoor. In North Devon we have known 

 various examples brought to the Barnstaple bird-stufFer from time to time, 

 and it has occurred on Lundy Island in the spring. For several summers 

 in succession Hobbies nested in the romantic woods of Gidleigh Park, on 

 the North Teign, where we often saw them flying above the trees, looking 

 more like large Swallows than Hawks. The keeper was prevailed upon 

 to spare them for some time on being assured that they were harmless to 

 the game ; but one unfortunate morning, hajipening to espy the three young 

 birds seated together on a granite-boulder in the Park, he could not resist 

 the temptation, and shot them all. "We skinned these victims, which were 

 remarkably large birds. This was at the beginning of August 18G9. The 

 following 3'ear we found the decaying remains of an old male Hobby 

 hanging up in the keeper's " larder." To this senseless persecution 

 by gamekeepers is due the diminishinc: numbers of this little JFalcon, 



An old Crow's nest is usually ap])ropriated by tlie Hobby, audit is rather 

 late in the season in rearing its young. Dragonflies, beetles, cockchafers, 

 moths, bats, and small birds, espeeiallv Skj'-Larks and Swallows, which are 

 their favourite quarry, form their food, and they are slightly crepuscular, 

 chasing insects late in the evening. Mr.J. Gatcombe wrote to Mr.Dresser: — 

 " When out with my gun in the autumn, 1 observed a Hawk flying in 

 circles, followed by a host of small birds. Suddenly it turned round, 

 dashed out its foot, and caught one of them, still continuing, but widening 

 its circle. I rushed forward and fired, when down came an adult female 

 Hobby, dropping the little bird from its claws as it fell." 



Col. Montagu writes : — " We have frequently witnessed the flight of this 

 species in pursuit of a Sky-Lark, which appears to be its favourite game ; 

 and it is astonishing to observe how dexterously the little bird avoids the 

 fatal stroke until it ])ecomes fatigued. A Hobby, in pursuit of a Lark, 

 was joined by a Hen-Harrier, who, not being so rapid on wing, was usually 

 l)ehind, and ready to avail himself of the sudden turns the unfortunate 

 Lark was compelled to make to avoid the talons of the Hobby ; however, 

 after numberless evolutions, the Hen-Harrier relinquished, being unequal to 

 the chase, and left the deadly stroke to one better adapted for rapid and 

 durable flight and aerial evolutions. The country was open, and as far as 

 the eye could discern the chase continued, but doubtless without a chance 

 of the Lark's escaping the fatal blow." 



In a manuscript notebook of 179S, wbicb belonged to Col. Montagu, and to wliich 

 we liave before referred, it is stated that the Hobby liad a nest near liis liouse at 

 Kingsbridge. Dr. E. Moore mentions Ljdford AVoods as a breeding-place on the 

 authority of Mr. Newton, and Chebiton Wood on that of Mr. G. Leacli (Rowe's 

 Peranib. Dartmoor, 1st ed. p. 2211). "'id Warleigh Woods, on the Tamar (Mag. Nat. 

 Hist. 18?.7). There is a female Hobby in tlie A. M. M. which was killed on her nest 

 at Brimpts, Dartmeet, July 12th, 1841) (R. C). A pair nested in Gidleigh Park, near 



