174
THE BIRDS OF ESSEX.
the summer of 1843. The male and female (both being fully adult), and three
young (which are now in Saffron Walden Museum) were all taken in the month
of July. In a private letter, Mr. Clarke informs me that he still recollects the
occurrence. He also states that a specimen was trapped at the Aviary, Audley
End, in 1823 ; that a fine male (now in Saffron Walden Museum) was killed at
Ashdon on Dec. 21st, 1835 ; and that another specimen in moult was killed at
Saffron Walden in 1844.
Hobby : Falco subbuteo.
A summer visitor, which used to breed commonly in the county,
but is now scarce, though instances of its having nested here within
the last year or two are not
unknown.
Mr. Clarke notes (24) that a
pair, both of which were shot,
nested at Debden in 1829, and
that another pair nested there in
1835. These were also shot and
their eggs taken. One or other
of these pairs is now (or was
recently) in the Walden
Museum. Another pair, with
their young, were taken at Wal-
den in 1843, In the Walden
Museum are the following speci-
mens :—An adult male from
Debden, a young male, and
two adults, all from Saffron Walden ; the two latter in 1844 and the spring of
1858 respectively. Henry Doubleday, writing at Epping on September 20th,
1839, says (10) a remarkably fine one was shot there a few days earlier. He also
mentions (10) killing a male at Lexden in 1832. About Epping, it was already
"very rare " in 1835, according to E. Doubleday (15), though English (43. i. 24)
styles it an " occasional visitor." Henry Doubleday says (23. 13) it " occasionally
visits us in the spring, but its appearance is very uncertain." Yarrell says
(30. i. 54), " Mr. Doubleday has obtained two specimens in the vicinity of
Epping, and I have one that was shot near Bishop's Stortford." Mr. Parsons
describes it (11) as having been "rare "in Rochford Hundred in 1832, but W. H.
Hill wrote (12. vi. 452) in 1833 that it was "very destructive to Larks " round
Southminster, as though then fairly common there, W, D. King says (20) that
it was rare in the district around Sudbury in his time. He says :
" Returning one evening last summer from a little excursion down our river,
a Lark passed over our heads hotly pursued by a pair of Hawks—I believe of this
species. We watched the pursuit with intense interest, and were glad to believe
that the poor little Lark at length escaped them. This, at first, we thought almost
impossible, as the Hawks darted at it alternately, giving it no respite : but, as the
chase led across the meadows in the direction of the town, perhaps the pursuers
felt a little intimidated, as they appeared to lose their quarry among some trees,
afterwards pursuing a straightforward course till they were lost in the distance.
1 once witnessed a similar chase along the shore at Walton, in Essex. Whilst
writing this, I received a letter from an ornithological friend in Essex, who writes
' Last night a boy brought me the finest adult Hobby I ever saw. I asked him
where he got it. The boy said, " It was eating our peas (!!!) and father shot it." '