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OF all birdes of prey that belong to the Falconers vse, I know none lesse then the Hobbie, vnles it be the Merlin. The Hobby is a Hawke of the lure, and not of the fist: also shée is of the number of those Hawkes that are hie flying & towre Hawks, as the Falcon, the Laner, and the Sacre be. If a man be disposed to describe the Hobby, he cannot do better, nor deale more artificially, then to match her for shape with the Sacre.
For in good faith there is but small difference or inequality be∣twixt them, saue that the Sacre is farre the huger birde.
The property of the Hobbye in all countries and regions where they are eyred, or otherwise brought, is to soar, and flée vpon the Huntsmen and Falconers, & so to follow them verie watchfully, to the end that whē they spring or put vp any smal birds, she may stoope from her wings, and seaze on them, as on her prey. And this is so ordinarie a Hawk, & the practice that I speake of so general, as there is not the simplest bowre or pea∣sant but doth know it. I can make no fitter nor more apt com∣parison, then to resemble the frye & small fish of the Sea, being had in chase by the huger sort of fish desirous to deuour them: to the small fowles and birdes of the ayre, pursued by the Hobby.
For as soone as the silly fish that is chased by the Dolphin & such like, do perceiue their safety to be nothing in the Element of water, where, by God and Nature they are allotted to liue, eftsoon haue they their recourse to the ayre to saue themselues, chosing rather to lye at the mercy of the rauening sea-fowles, soaring vpon the water, then to yeelde themselues in prey to their naturall aduersaries the fish: Euen so the Hobbies per∣ceyuing the Huntsmen or Falconers in the fielde to hunt the poore Leueret, or flée the Partridge, do forthwith accompanie them, soaring vpon them, in hope to encounter some one small bird or other, whome the hounds or spaniels shal by fortune put vp, & spring by ranging the field. Then the Larks, & such like small fowles, whose nature is not to braunch or take the trée, but altogether to liue vpon the groūd, finding thēselues pursu∣ed by the hounds & spaniels to beguile thē, are enforst to trust to their wings, & to take the ayre, & being there, finding thēselus molested by the Falconers & Hobbies, do make their choyce & election to become a prey rather to the dogs, or séeke mercy a∣mong the horse legs, & so to be surprised aliue, then to affie in the curtesie of the cruell Hobbies, and to be taken in their cru∣ell tallons, where they are most assured to die the death.
The Hobbie is so nimble & wight of wing, that shée dares encounter the Crow, and to giue souse for souse, and blow for
blow with him in the ayre.
This is a naturall and speciall tricke that shée doth vse, e∣spying the Falconers in the field, she doth follow them, and at∣tend on them, but it is but for a certaine space as though in ve∣rye deede shée had her limits and boundes precribed her, and appointed how farre he should flée. For as soone as shee lea∣ueth them, shée presently scoureth along the side of some groue or high wood, where doth ordinarily vse to pearch and take the stand.
The Hobby hath a blew beake, but the seare of her beak and legges is yellow. The crinet or little blacke feathers vnder her eyes be very blacke, so as most commonly they continue and procéed from the beake to the temples or eare burres, and in like manner is there an other blacke streak that descendeth to eyther side of her gorge. As touching the toppe of the head it is betwixt blacke and yellow, but hath two white seames vpon the necke. The plumes vnder the gorge, and about the browes are reddish without spotte or droppe. The plumes vn∣der the belly (or as I may best tearm them) the breast feathers are browne for the most part, and yet poudered with white spots as Ermines. All the backe, the trayne, and the wings are blacke aloft, she hath no great scales vpon her leggs, vnlesse it be a few that begin behind the thrée stretchers and pounchies, which are very large in respect of her short legges. Her brayle feathers are engouted twixt redde and blacke. The pendant feathers (which are those behind the thigh) are of a rusty and smokie vernish complection. When a man seeth her soare aloft in the ayre, he will iudge her vnder the wings, that her plu∣mage and downe, as well of her wings as betwixt her legs is russet and reddish mayled.
There are two fowles, whereof the one is called, (Ian le blancke) which I take to be the Harrohen or capped Kite, and ye other (blanche queue) the ring tayle, who do alwaies flée with her for company, beating and sousing the Larks, and if happi∣ly they spie the Hobby encountring the Larke, whome they put and force to her wings, it is a pleasure to behold the game
that is betwixt this cast of bussards and the hawke. For their desire and intent is to bereaue the sillye hobby of her prey: but she being nimble and wight of wing, encountreth with them, entercepting the Larke from them, mauger their might, and sondry times they buckle so together, as you shal sée them come tūbling down both I fear, one fast griping & seazed on ye other.
Some would haue that this Hobby of whom I write should bée that bird whome Aristotle calleth Hipotriorchis, and the Latines Subuteo: but I am not of that mind, but that it should rather be the Sacre, whome Aristotle doth meane. But let the learned reader Iudge the controuersie, I am to lay down their natures and properties, and not to decide any matter of con∣trouersie, which indéede doth belong to the curious Falconer, and not to him that doth embrace more the sport, then the di∣uersitie and oddes of spéech, which in euery Art a man shalbe assured to find. Let it suffice if I giue the Reader to vnder∣stand the nature of euery Hawke now a dayes in vse, and withall (according to my promise and meaning) doe let him know the meane to flie with them both the field and brooke, as also to giue him to witte, how to Mew, Ympe, and cure them being diseased. These are the speciall points, and such as de∣serue thankes from me, and commendation from him. I will procéede in the description of the nature of this Hawke, accor∣ding to the opinion of the Italian.