94 MR CARR ON THE FLIGHT OF THB PEREGRINE FALCON 



their pursuer, and so set her at defiance. But even in such a chase 

 as this the tercel would be very likely to kill his bird, as he will often 

 mount with great spirit and success under discouraging circumstances. 

 I am inclined to suspect that pigeons, when hard pressed by falcons, are 

 sometimes half suffocated from having been surprised with a full crop, 

 and so fall an easy prey where they would otherwise escape. This, 

 however, requires confirmation; and is yet little more than conjecture. 

 In windy weather the long-winged hawks fly with great spirit, if the 

 day be fine and the gale not actually tempestuous. They are also 

 invigorated by cold. At such times, I believe, they are more than 

 usually successful in their attacks upon flights of pigeons rising from 

 the stubbles. They fly with overwhelming speed downwind, very 

 rapidly across the wind, and even beat up directly against it as 

 quickly as domestic pigeons. The rising and descending of a falcon 

 across or against a high wind is beautiful sometimes in the extreme ; 

 and her alacrity in such weather terrifies the quarry before her, and 

 prevents it from seeking safety by mounting. 



I have seen my own pigeons pursued to their dovecot from the 

 stubbles by a young red falcon, which passed close by me, and then 

 gracefully raised herself over the house and trees. On that occasion 

 she was not successful, having had perhaps too short a flight ; but 

 the day before she had been seen to strike down one of the flock just 

 as it approached the premises. This bird might have been captured, 

 by means well known to falconers, without injuring a feather, and 

 trained to distinguish herself in the field. It may be observed, that 

 the chase is always terminated, if the falcon be not successful, before 

 the flock can approach the dovecot or farm-buildings. Her stroke 

 is always dealt with such impetuosity, that she is afraid to give it if 

 either trees or buildings, or even a high hedge, should be immediately 

 before her. It would endanger her own safety too much ; and, by 

 coming in contact even with the spray of a hedge, her wing-feathers, 

 of which she has good reason to be careful, would be broken. 



I may now mention how a favourite falcon of my own would pur- 

 sue this quarry instinctively whenever she could find a stolen oppor- 

 tunity. She had never been exercised at pigeons by design, as I 

 consider there is more cruelty than sport in turning out cowed and 

 terrified birds from a basket, to certain destruction, if the hawk be a 

 high fligher, and worth having. But pigeons accidentally met with 

 on the wing are in no such woful predicament, but very competent 

 to take care of themselves, and to amuse spectators in doing so, or 



