THE HosBy. 147 
average size is 1°6 inches, by 1'25 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 Hobby 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 any 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 years 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 Hobby ‘“ the most 
agile and swift of all the Falconide with which I am acquainted.” In the summer 
the Hobby is fond of soaring very high in the air; its cry closely resembles that 
of the Wryneck or Kestrel. Saunders derives its name from hawt-dors, just as the 
French name for it Faucon hobercau 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 rusty red; cere, and orbital 
space, pale greenish-yellow; 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. 
