114 OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING 



a single letter, which shows that, even in his captivity as an 

 invalid, he was able to do a little at his favourite sport. 



"November ;}o//i, 1893. 

 " I have not been able to hold a giui, to stand, or 

 to walk a yard since January 1886, but I do, or did, 

 see my young goshawk flv often during September and 

 October last. She has bagged well over three hundred 

 rabbits since August, when first on the wing. I should 

 guess that it was a falcon that knocked down the pheasant 

 that you tell of, if ' knock down ' is the correct term 

 for the performance. We have had singularly few wild 

 falcons here this year, probably owing to the scarcity of 

 teal, but as you take in the Field you will probably see 

 the account by me, of a very singular capture of a falcon 

 close in front of the house here on 24th inst.* I have 

 a very fine Iceland falcon, with alas ! a damaged wing- 

 joint, flying as well as she can to the lure. I am able 

 to watch this performance from my window." * 



The country round Lilford Hall, though suitable 

 enough to the goshawk, is far too much enclosed, and 

 too much wooded for successful flights with falcons after 

 rooks, and in any case Lord Lilford, as an invalid, would 

 not have been able to follow a flight. None the less 

 he kept many peregrines, partly for old associations' sake, 



' To the Rev. G. E. Freeman. 

 * See Presidential Address, p. 39. 



