103 



of sport, and least of all to a large number of ladies. The Falcon 

 had just moulted, and had not recovered her plumage or strength; 

 and it is necessary, under such circumstances, to allow them to 

 kill a large bird occasionally to restore their habits and courage. 

 A common chicken generally serves for this purpose, and of 

 course, were it but for the ridicule of the thing, it is usually done 

 strictly in private. The chief of the party, however, — whom we 

 name not (by any name,) — determined on this occasion to have 

 this feat performed in public, and, as might be expected, some 

 laughed immoderately and some were greatly disgusted. I myself 

 could have joined either party, had I not been so extremely inte- 

 rested in observing the instinct and habits of the bird under un- 

 wonted, and, as she seemed to think, most unpleasant circum- 

 stances. 



On being hooded off she circled in short rapid flights round the 

 Falconer's head, waiting on, as it is termed, while he walked some 

 hundred yards into the field ; and it was worth going some dis- 

 tance even to see that flight. 



The poor chicken was then thrown down, but the falcon, though 

 hungry, had no notion how to attack an animal on the ground. 

 She stooped, indeed, once or twice, but seemed unable to bring 

 her ideas to so low a level, and passed over the fowl's back. She 

 then continued waiting on for a time, in hopes of nobler game, 

 and finding none made another stoop or two at the chicken with 

 equally bad success. She then tried another plan ; — with the chi- 

 valrous spirit of a knight of old, who having unhorsed his enemy, 

 would waive the advantage, and dismount to renew the combat on 

 foot, the Falcon descended to earth, and quietly walked up to 

 the hen. But, as a knight, in a stiff suit of tilting armour, would 

 find it no easy thing to move himself or use his spear when off his 

 horse, against an active boy in a smock frock, so was the Falcon 

 equally at a loss. The hen ran away, and the Falcon stood still 

 and looked. Meanwhile the poor hen recognized even from a 

 distance her natural protector, man, and in spite of the Falconer's 

 efforts, she kept running towards the crowd of spectators on the 

 road, and had made two thirds of the distance, when the Falcon, 

 savage at being foiled, although angry with herself apparently at 

 having to perform so low a part, after several ineffectual clutches, 

 which only knocked off some feathers, at last stooped her pride so 

 low as fairly to seize the poor chicken, and of course all was over 

 immediately. 



On our return to Cheltenham, I was shown a really beautiful 

 collection of Falcons and Hawks used in the sport, all stuffed by 

 Hancock, and I never saw displayed so perfect a knowledge of 

 the attitudes and habits of that race, till I saw those, by the same 

 hand, in the Great Exhibition of this year. 



But here, gentlemen, suffer me to make a long interpolation ; 

 for the friend, to whom I before alluded, has kindly given me the 

 following sketch of the Hawking Club at the Loo, and allowed 

 me to present it to the Club. 



k 2 



