The Hohhy. Subbuteo. 



Numb. VI. 



IT S Weight was 7 Ounces and a half; the Length 1 2 Inches and a half, from the 

 Tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail ; the Breadth or Diflance between the tips of 

 the Wings extended, 2 Feet 6 Inches ; the Beak like that of a Kejirel; the upper Mandible 

 prominent, hooked, femi-circular ; the Bafe cover'd with a yellow Skin or Sear, the 

 Part next the Skin white, the reft of a dark blue. It hath a Tooth, or Angle, on eack 

 Side at the Beginning of the hooked Part, which is receiv'd in a hollow Dent in the lower 

 Chap : The Tongue broad, and a little cleft or divided ; the Palate within fide black, 

 having a Cavity imprefs'd .to receive the Tongue ; the Noftrils round j the Irides of the 

 Eyes of a Hazel Colour ; the Eye-lids yellow. 



The Feathers on the Top of the Head had their Shafts or middle Part black, their Bor- 

 ders of a deep Chefnut : Thofe on the Middle of the Neck of a Clay-colour, the 

 Back and Wings of a dark-brown, or cinereous black; thofe on the Rump and the leflcr 

 pinion Feathers being lighter, the greater pinion Feathers, and thofe on the middle of the 

 Back darker. The Chin and upper part of the Throat whitifh with a faint yellow; to 

 this white were drawn from the Head on each Side two Lines ending in Points ; one 

 from the Aperture of the Mouth, the other from the hinder part of the Head ; thefe Marks 

 diftinguilli the Hobby from the other Hawk Kind : The lower part of the Belly was 

 reddifh, the reft of the Belly and Breaft clothed with Feathers fpotted with black in 

 the Middle, and having their Edges white, the Thighs red fpotted as the Breaft, but 

 fmaller : The Number of prime Feathers in each Wing 24, whereof the fecond the 

 longeft; the extreme or outmoft had their tips black, all of them their interior Webs 

 varied with tranfverfe clay-coloured Spots. The covert Feathers of the under fide of the 

 Wings were black, curioully painted with round Spots of white diluted with red. 



The Tail confifted of 1 2 Feathers, the middlemoft were the longeft and the reft in 

 Order {hotter ; the Length of the middlenwft was about 5 Inches and a half; thefe were 

 on both fides their Shafts of one and the fame Colour, the reft had their interior Vanes 

 with tranfverfe reddilh Spots, the outmoft Tips being whitifti ; the Legs and Feet were 

 yellow; the middle and outmoft Toes connected as in others of this Kind to the iiift: 

 Joint j the Talons black as Jet. 



It had a large Gall ; the Length of the Guts was two Feet lacking an Inch ; the Appen- 

 dices or blind Guts ftiort ; befides which it had another fingle Appendix or Procefs which 

 feemed to be the Remainder of the DuSlus Intejimalis fhrunk up. 



The Hobby is a Bird of Paflage, yet breeds with us in E?tgland; its Game is chiefly 

 Larks, for the catching of which Birds our Fowlers make ufe of it th,us ; the Spaniels 

 range the Field to find the Birds ; the Hobby they let off, who is accuftomcd to foar 

 aloft in the Air over them : The Larks efpying their capital Enemy over them dare not 

 make ufe of their Wings but lie as clofe and flat upon the Ground as they can ; and are 

 cafily taken with the drawing Net which is made on Purpofe for that Sport ; this is called 

 Daring of Larks. 



The Fowlers to catch thefe Hawks take a Lark, and having blinded her, and faftned 

 Lime-twigs to her Legs, let her fly where they fee the Hobby i?, which ftriking at the 

 Lark is entangled with the Lime-twigs j it is called in Englijh the Hsbl))\ after the French 

 Name Hobreau, 



4 ^^^ 



