HOBBY. 
27 
the young birds, but that he has not heard of a nest since 
that date. 
The Hobby lays sometimes only two, but for the most 
part three eggs. Mr. Hoy told me that he had never met 
with more. As far as I have had an opportunity of seeing 
them, they are not subject to much variety ; one specimen 
only, which I have previously figured, was remarkable for 
the absence of all the deeper red colouring. They are 
usually very regularly freckled over the whole surface, and 
more nearly resemble eggs of the Iceland falcon than 
those of any other species. The darkest varieties are 
rather like some lightly coloured eggs of the kestrel; they 
are, however, of a pinker hue and without any large 
blotches of colour. Mr. Macgillivray’s description of 
them is quite incorrect. The eggs described by him are 
most likely those of the sparrow-hawk. 
