PLATE LXXIII. 
9 
The Hobby Hawk. 
These are birds of prey, and are the mod beautiful of their kind. Their food confifts wholly 
of fmall birds ; and their nature is fuch that they are a terror to birds of a much larger kind, and 
are known by the name of the Dead Hawk, from the certainty of their taking whatever they attempt ; 
as they are much more fecure in obtaining their prey than any other of that clafs. They build their 
nefts in the woods, and generally make choice of the loftieft trees for the purpofe : it is compofed of 
rotten flicks, lined with wool, in which they lay five eggs, nearly round, and fplaflied with brown. 
They are of a hardy nature, and commonly rear all their young. They are frequently kept in gar- 
dens, to preferve the fruit from the fmall birds, who dare not approach where fo fatal an enemy 
inhabits. There are many brought to the London markets, when young, for it is difficult to take 
the old ones. The bird, in this Plate, is reduced for the conveniency of the work. It meafured from 
the bill to the tip of the tail fifteen inches, and round the breaft nine inches. 
No. XXV. 
M m 
