120 FALCON. 



black clown the shafts. It is posssible that the last may be the 

 female, as it weighed two ounces more than the male, was not so 

 dark above, and the lighter parts beneath not so ferniginous.* 



The Hobby is only a summer resident in England, coming in 

 Spring, and migrating in October; and is far from common. It 

 breeds with us, sometimes making the nest on a low tree, even a 

 moderate sized hawthorn ; though it has been known to make use of 

 an old crow's nest, and two young taken out of it. f 



It inhabits various parts of the Continent of Europe, where it 

 changes its residence acccording to the seasons ; is not met with in 

 Sweden, except in the more southern Provinces ; migrating south in 

 Autumn ; in winter about Woronesch and Astrachan ; J is most com- 

 mon in the open country, particularly in the desarts of Tartary and 

 Siberia, whenever small trees are at hand, in which it may breed. § 

 Several have been shot on Gibraltar rock at the time of their vernal 

 and autumnal migrations ; and now and then they stay and breed 

 there, about the south-east cliffs. ^ We believe this to be the most 

 rapid in its flight of all the hawks ; larks will not trust to their wings 

 while the Hobby is in sight; and we remember to have seen a 

 swallow pursued, and overtaken while on the wing, by this bird. 

 This species was formerly used in Falconry, but not known to 

 attempt a larger bird than a partridge ; || is a great enemy to larks, 

 and is frequently taken in pursuit of th^m, by the bird-catchers, in 

 their nets ; hence successfully used in daring of larks, for which 

 purpose the hawk was cast off; on seeing of which, the larks 

 adhered to the ground through fear, and the fowler drew his net 

 over them. 



* Orn. Diet; 



f Col. Montagu ; said to lay three or four white eggs. 

 J Dec. russ. ii. 142. 

 § Mr. Pennant. 

 ^ Mr. White, MS. 



II M. Brunnich observes, that the Gentil, Iceland-Falcon, and Hobby, are all used 

 in falconry about Copenhagen, Orn. Bor. p. 3. 



