OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING 129 



the exception ; ' entering ' is the remedy. A rook is 

 offered in a creance to a very sharp-set hawk, she takes 

 it, it is killed at once, and the falconer adroitly fastens 

 the greater part of a newly killed pigeon, still warm, 

 under the rook's wing, having taken care to remove the 

 pigeon's wings, and any feathers likely to betray the 

 fraud. "If this is rook," thinks the falcon, "all I can 

 say is that I have slandered the poor bird very much, 

 and I shall certainly fly the first I see." 



Magpie-hawking is very good sport indeed. The 

 falconers, ladies perhaps among them, should be on horse- 

 back. Of course, the country must be free from woods, 

 but there may be bushes and some hedges if the fields 

 are large. There should be some few beaters with the 

 party, so that the magpie may easily be driven out of 

 the cover to which he has taken when pressed by the 

 single tiercel, or cast of tiercels, which are after him. 

 The crack of a whip is sometimes, but not often, enough 

 to send him again into the open. 



But I must remember that space is limited, and that I 

 have yet, amongst long-winged hawks, to say something 

 of the merlin and hobby. The merlin {Falco cesalori) 

 is the smallest of British hawks ; an exquisite little 

 creature, a pet and a companion for ladies, a bird capable 

 of showing the falconer excellent sport. It is very 

 handsome, too, and the male, when in the adult plumage, 

 has a beautiful blue back ; he would be worth having 

 if he were only to be looked at. But these birds are 



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