48 FALCONID.E. 



which I knew they were sometimes found, when my advance 

 roused from the ground a bird, whose peculiar flight in- 

 stantly arrested my attention, and I followed it as far as 

 the enclosure of the plantation into which it had entered 

 would permit. I presently perceived it sitting upon the 

 branch of a tree, in company with another bird of similar 

 size, but differing in colour. I was near enough to observe 

 their plumage, and no doubt remained upon my mind respect- 

 ing them, — they were Orange-legged Hobbies. They pre- 

 sently took to flight, but did not leave the plantation, which 

 was of young larch, and other fir-trees ; their manner of 

 flying was peculiarly buoyant and graceful, with frequent 

 turns and evolutions, as if in pursuit of some aerial prey ; 

 it was now dusk in the evening, and I watched them until 

 they could no longer be perceived. It was in summer, and 

 I conjectured that they must have a nest in some part of 

 the copse. I returned several evenings to the same spot, 

 and saw them again and again. I was extremely anxious 

 to obtain the nest, if such existed, which I do not doubt, 

 considering the season of the year, and the fact of their 

 being seen in the same place several successive evenings. 



Claremont being strictly watched by the King of Bel- 

 gium's keepers, it was only through their interference and 

 assistance that I could hope to obtain my object, and I 

 accordingly applied to them ; but such is their illiberality 

 and extreme jealousy of the interference of a stranger, that 

 I could not prevail upon them to take any trouble in the 

 search, although I offered a liberal reward for the birds, and 

 for any indication of their nest; nor would they permit me 

 to resume the search myself. This was in the summer of 

 1838 : since this period I have had a circumstance detailed 

 to me of the capture of a little bird of the hawk species, 

 which could be no other than the one at present under con- 

 sideration. A voung friend, who himself related the cir- 



