a few pairs were seen among the large terebinth trees near the foot of the hills of Jndtea. They seem to
roost and build there, feeding only in the plains, over which they hover, resembling the Kestrel in their
habits and flight rather than the Hobby.
“ The Orange-legged Hobby (Enjt/ropus oesperlimii)" says Lord Lilford, in his ‘ Notes on the Birds
observed by him in the Ionian Islands, Sic.,’ “ arrives in Corfu, occasionally in great numbers, about the
latter end of April. In the spring o f 1858 it was very abundant, particularly a t Fano, a small rocky
island to the north of Corfu, celebrated as a favourite resting-place for immense flights o f quails during
their vernal migration. It appears to he very fearless of man. I have watched a flock of five or six
for upwards of an hoar, during which time they often approached within ten or fifteen yards o f where
I sat, though I was in no way concealed. As far as my observation goes, this species only remains for a
few days in Corfu, on its passage northwards; and I have never heard o f its occurrence in the island,
except ill April and May. The stomach of a specimen I saw skinned contained the remains o f large
night-flying moths. Both this species and the Common Hobby are to be observed on the wing as late
as 8 or 9 p.m. The Orange-legged Hobby often alights on the ground, and runs with great ease and
speed.”
About Taken Bay, in North China, “ This handsome little bird-slayer,” says Mr. Swinhoe (his remarks
probably applying to the white-winged bird), “ was not .infrequently met with flying along overhead or
hover,ng poised.in the air. Judging from the contents of the stomachs o f the two I procured, I should say
it committed great havoc among the Larks and other field-birds. It certainly caused considerable coaster
nation wherever it appeared among them. I have had two opportunities o f observing the nest o f this
species; one was placed among the topmost boughs of a willow, the other amid the leafy foliage o f some
umbrageous tree. The nests were large and round, and built o f sticks, resembling somewhat those o f the
Magpie. When the old birds visited the nest, the young (balls of white down, with bluish bills) set un a
chattering cry.” J 1
“ This pretty httle Hawk," says Mr. Wright, in his ‘List o f the Birds observed in the Islands o f Malta
and Gozo,’ “ visits us in the vernal and autumnal periods o f migration, and in some years in much larger
numbers than m others. It is sometimes to be met with in small flocks, when they will allow repeated shots
to be fired a t them without taking alarm.”
Lord Lilford remarks that he once saw an Erythropus vesperlious in Andalusia, and that there is a sne-
cimen m the Museum o f Valencia; but it is not, he thinks, a common bird in any p art of Spain
Turning to another part of the world, A f r i c a - “ T he birds o f this species,” says the Kev. H. B Tristram
have the same gregarious habits in Algeria that Mr. Cochrane has stated them to have in Hungary • they
are, however, very rare. The only breeding-place known to me is on the edge o f a pine forest, near Dielfc
B— a”d ' ,,ere there W ■ thaa ■ «■ i P ^ s ; while in the eastern p ro v in g of
Cons a t, they do not seem to occur, except as stragglers. They return late from the so u th ; and on
menced la y in g ^ ^ emP'° yed " " V *™ * ° 'd "est8‘ and had «>"-
In Dr. Kirk’s paper ‘ On the Birds o f the Zambesi Region o f Eastern Tropical Africa,’ it is stated that
“ this pretty httle Hawk is found near the river. I t appears only a t sunset and in the dusk, ! eominw
great numbers from the shady forest or from among the fronds o f the lofty Borassus-palm, it hovers”
swaflow-hke, over the plains and water, catching dragonflies and locusts, which" with other i n s ^ I
B H B f l l BPBits H °n,y f°°d- ta H t B EH i - H I—
refers to the h d H n g' , Palm-fbrest c0™ d°""> the river.” This refers to the bird with white under wing-coverts. note also probably
With respect to the nidification of this species, Mr. Coclmme (who had the good fortune to meet with it
middle T a T ”8 H breed' ng-scason> inf0™ ed Mr’ g i S f that it arrives in that country about the
aafftteerr a ffiigghhtt^ wwiitthh tthhee l1aw^ fuIl ofwnlers , ta1ke1 po ‘shsCe ssf0,olln0 ™of Sth mos0en o,hf- the Crow,m Raokoe k", 0o ”r eM8ta fgopri et,h eamlte8reilnrge8 o’ r re!
pairing them o their own taste. Mr. Cochrane says h e has found their eggs in a nest of Core«* corole that
they are sometimes six number, but most commonly four or five. ■ Sometimes in isolated trees, a t o'thers
as many as six o r seven pairs in one tree, in a rookery, exactly as Rooks in England.' The eggs most
— jj ■ “f ‘he Kestrel, being, however, for the most part considerably less; like M
H B B are somet'™>’«'«>! freckled throughout, and much resemble those o f the red Grouse P
The Plate represents an adult male and a female, o f the size o f life.