THE HOBBY. 



Falco subbtiteo, Linnaus. 

 Plate 38. 



This beautiful little Falcon generally arrives in England about the middle of 

 May, and though by no means common, breeds more or less regularly in the 

 southern and south-eastern counties, being less frequently met with farther north. 

 It is also distributed over Europe and North Africa, across Asia to Kamchatka, 

 while in winter it occurs in China and India. 



The Hobby is often described as being like a miniature Peregrine, but the 

 wings are proportionally longer, and the dark markings of the underparts are 

 longitudinal in the adult Hobby, whereas in the Peregrine they form transverse 

 bars. 



It breeds late in the season, usually laying its three eggs in June. These are 

 deposited in the unoccupied nests of Crows, Magpies, or other birds, and resemble 

 the eggs of the Kestrel, though not of so bright a red, nor so boldly spotted. 



Although it sometimes kills smalls birds, and can even with its wonderful wing 

 power outmanoeuvre and capture the Swift, the Hobby is largely insectivorous, 

 feeding on dragonflies, beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects. Lord Lilford says 

 {Birds of Northamptonshire and Neighbourhood)'. "In pursuit of its prey the 

 rapidity of the Hobby is marvellous, and the manner in which it turns and mounts 

 after making a stoop is quite unrivalled by any bird of prey with which I am 

 acquainted." 



The Hobby, however, when trained for purposes of sport, in spite of all its fine 

 powers of flight, is not a success, for although it "waits on" beautifully, flies well 

 to the lure, and is very docile, it is a poor footer. 



The cry is very like the Kestrel's, and also resembles the Wryneck's, and the 

 bird leaves us in September. 



63 



