352 
Two days after taking tlic five Hobby’s eggs, I again visited 
Foxloy Wood, Avbere I saw two female Kestrels go off their nests 
of four and five eggs. On going to e.xaiuine another Carrion. Crow’s 
nest, several hundred yards to the north-west of that which con- 
tained the five Hobby’s eggs two days before, I saw two Hobbies 
on the Oak tree, evidently taking possession of the nest. They 
seemed to object strongly to my presence, and flew close round me, 
dashing through the underwood near the ground. The nest was 
empty. These Hobbies were, I feel sure, the same birds Avhose 
five eggs I took two days ago ; and I was very unfortunate in 
disturbing their new home so soon, for, on my next visit this 
nest Avas still empty. 
On the 3rd of June I went again into Foxley "Wood, and found 
two Jays’ nests containing four and five eggs respectivel }0 These 
nests Avere, as usual, in the top of birch brushwood in the “ high 
fell ” or underwood of many j'ears’ groAvth. I also found a nest of 
four Kestrel’s eggs in an Oak tree; and on examining another 
Carrion CroAv’s nest on a tall big Oak in the east side of the 
Avood, a nest Avhich I had robbed of CroAv’s eggs about a month 
before, I Avas delighted to find in it one Hobby’s egg. This Avas 
by far the most beautiful egg of this species that I liaA^e ever 
seen. The other five eggs before mentioned Avero of a richer and 
darker colour than most Kestrel’s eggs (of Avhich I have 158 
specimens for comparison), but this one Avas like a Honey Buzzard’s 
egg in miniature. I left it Avithout touching it or the nest. On the 
trunk of tliis tree Avas resting an imago of Nola cristulalis ; and I 
took another Moth of the same species from another Oak tree, and 
a nearly full-fed larva of ApcdiD'u ivis from the top of a broad- 
leaved SalloAV-bush of about tAvelve years’ groAvth. 
On the 13th of June I again climbed to the Hobby’s nest, 
fully expecting to be reAvarded by a full clutch of unusually 
handsome eggs, especially as the tree Avas very hard to climb, and 
quite invisible from any pathAvay ; but, alas ! though the tree 
shoAved no signs of having been climbed, the nest Avas empty, and 
I had to console myself Avith beating Salix caprea on ray Avay 
out of the Avood, taking larvm of Apatura iris, TricUiura craUvyi, 
and the case-bearing Fumca nitidella. 
On the 12th of July I saAV a dead Hobby hanging in ierrorem 
in Ilockering Wood ; it looked like a hen-bird, and had been shot 
a Aveek or more before I saAV it. 
