122 OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING 



profession a cobbler, is provided with provisions, water 

 and schnapps, and a sack of boots and shoes to mend. As 

 his vision is but circumscribed he depends greatly upon a 

 little living sentinel who lives in full sight of his hut in 

 a little turf cabin or cage outside. This sentinel is the 

 larger butcher-bird or shrike. 



" The moment he perceives any bird of prey, however 

 far off, and however high (I am told beyond the power of 

 human vision), he becomes highly agitated and calls and 

 attracts the attention of the occupant of the hut. . . . 

 In addition to this sentinel, the hawk-catcher is supplied 

 with a pigeon, who lives in a little turf hut at the foot 

 of a pole, to the top of which is attached a cord reaching 

 to his hand. Another pigeon, similarly lodged, about one 

 hundred yards from his hut door and close to a carefully 

 concealed bow-net, working easily and well, also from inside 

 the hut, completes his devices. The butcher-bird's actions 

 denote the approach of the migrating hawk — species, age 

 and sex unknown — and the hawk-catcher pretends to be 

 able to determine the distance and quality of the approach- 

 ing migrant, by the different intensity of the terror of the 

 sentinel. When deemed sufficiently near, the hawk-catcher 

 pulls the string of the pole-pigeon, and causes him to 

 flutter forth from his shelter, but so that he can instantly 

 regain it at need. This lure is frequently sufficient to 

 attract the passing hawk (probablv sharp-set) from the 

 clouds, and is often instantly followed bv the rush of 

 the lofty and violent stoop — most grateful of all sounds 



