(*■ r
The Hobby. Subbuteo.
Numb.' VI.
IT S Weight was 7 Ounces and a half; the Length 12 Inches and a half, from the
Tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail; the Breadth or Diftance between the tips of
the Wings extended, 2 Feet6 Inches; the Beak like that of a Kejtrel; the upper Mandible
prominent, hooked, femi-circular; the Bafe cover’d with a yellow Skin or Sear, the
Part next the Skin white, the reft of a dark blue. It hath a Tooth, or Angle, on each
Side at the Beginning of the hooked Part, which is receiv’d in a hollow Dentin the lower
Chap: The Tongue broad, and a little cleft or divided; the Palate within fide black,
having a Cavity impreis’d to receive the Tongue; the Noftrils round; the Irides of the
Eyes of a Hazel Colour; the Eye-lids yellow.
The Feathers on the Top of the Head had their Shafts or middle Part black, their Borders
o f a deep Chefnut: Thofe on the Middle of the Neck of a Clay-colour, the
Back and Wings of a dark-brown, or cinereous black; thofe on the Rump and the lefler
pinion Feathers being lighter, the greater pinion Feathers, and thofe on the middle of the
Back darker. The Chin and upper part of the Throat whitiih with a faint yellow; to
this white were drawn from the Head on each Side two Lines ¿ending in Points; one
from the Aperture of the Mouth, the other from the hinder part of the Head; thefe Marks
diftinguiih the Hobby from the other Hawk Kind: The lower part of the Belly was
reddiih, the reft of the Belly and Breaft clothed with Feathers fpotted with black in
the Middle, and having their Edges white, the Thighs red fpotted as the Breaft, but
fmaller : The Number of prime Feathers in each Wing 24, whereof the fecond the
longeft; the extreme oroutmofthad their tips black, all of them their interior Webs
varied with tranlverfe clay-coloured Spots. The covert Feathers of the under fide of the
Wings were black, curioufly painted with round Spots of white diluted with red.
The Tail confifted of 12 Feathers, the middlemoft were the, longeft and the reft in
Order ihorter; the Length of the middlemoft was about 5 Inches and a half; thefe were
on both fides their Shafts of one and the fame Colour, the reft had their interior Vanes
with tranfverfe reddiih Spots, the outmoft Tips being whitiih; the Legs and Feet were
yellow; the middle and outmoft Toes conne&ed as in others of this Kind to the firft
Joint; the Talons black as Jet.
It had a large G all; the Length of the Guts was two Feet lacking an Inch; the Appendices.
or blind Guts Ihort; befides which it had another fingle Appendix or Proccfs which
feemed to be the Remainder of the JQuMus Intejiinalis fhrunk up..
The Hobby is a Bird of Paffage, yet breeds with us in England; its Game is chiefly
Larks, for the catching of which Birds our Fowlers make ufe of it thus; the Spaniels
range the Field to find the Birds; the Hobby they let off, who is accuftonjed to foar
aloft in the Air over them : The Larks'efpying their capital Enemy over them dare not
make ufe of their Wings but lie as clofe and flat upon the Ground as they can; and are
eafily taken with the drawing Net which is made on Purpofe for that Sport; this is called
Daring o f Larks.
The Fowlers to catch thefe Hawks take a Lark, and having blinded her, and faftned
Lime-twigs to her Legs, let her fly where they fee the Hobby is, which ftriking at the
Lark is entangled with the Lime-twigs; it is called iaEngliJh the Hobby, after the French
Name Hobreau. 4 %e