AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 17 



birds being found in the same nest. The eggs are of a 

 dirty white ground-colour, thickly spotted and blotched 

 with a reddish brown ; and though they much resemble 

 those of the Kestrel, are, I think, generally to be 

 distinguished from those of that species by the lighter 

 colour of the markings. But I need hardly say that 

 almost all birds' eggs are subject to variety in colour, 

 distribution of markings, size, &c. ; and there is such 

 a general resemblance amongst those of our three 

 British species of small true Falcons, viz. Hobby, 

 Merlin, and Kestrel, that he would be a bold ornitho- 

 logist who would venture confidently to assign a 

 clutch of unidentified eggs to any one of the three 

 species, though I admit that those of the Merlin have 

 often a marked character to themselves. Many in- 

 stances of the occurrence of the Hobby in England 

 during the winter months are on record, but, as a rule, 

 the bird leaves us about the end of kSeptember. 



The Hobby is a very high-couraged bird, and, as I 

 have more than once observed, will dash out and 

 drive off a Crow, and other birds of prey much 

 stronger and larger than itself, that may happen to 

 approach its nest. The cry of this species much 

 resembles that of the Wryneck, (though it is of 

 course louder and stronger, and may often be heard 

 late on a summer evening when the birds are chasing 

 insects about the old oak trees, as is their habit), as 

 also that of the Kestrel. I have heard of instances 

 of the Hobby attacking Partridges, but though I have 

 often been accompanied by one of these birds when 

 out shooting, and chances have repeatedly offered 

 themselves, I never saw the Hawk take the slightest 

 notice of any game-bird, and consider it as entirely 

 harmless in that respect. I have found this species 



c 



