HAWKING. 587 
a dog was required to flush the game, and three falcons to capture 
it: the duty of the first was to make the gwarry rise, of the second 
to follow it, and of the third to clutch it. We shall quote from an 
ancient author of a ‘“ Treatise on Falconry” the account of a ca&t at 
a heron; the description will well explain the details of this kind 
of sport. 
“Now riding fast, we soon came by the side of the meadows 
adjoining the warren, where the ‘markers’ of M. de Ligné dis- 
covered three herons, and at once came to tell him of it. Making 
up his mind to attack them, the Sieur de Ligné did me the favour 
of giving me a white gyrfalcon, named ‘La Perle,’ to let fly; he 
himself took another, called ‘Le Gentilhomme,’ and one of his 
people took a third, named ‘Le Pinson.’ When the herons heard 
us approach they became alarmed, and took wing while we were 
yet some distance off; seeing this, we let fly the birds, which were 
some time before they perceived the quarry. At last one of the 
hawks caught sight of them, and went in pursuit. The two others 
immediately followed with so much ardour and speed that in a very 
short time they had all reached the herons, and were attacking one, 
which defended itself; but it was so roughly treated that it could not 
make much resistance, and was soon taken. Whilst the falcons were 
having their pleasure with it (that is, whilst the quarry was being given 
them), the other herons, frightened at seeing their companion so badly 
treated, kept on rising in the direction of the sun, hoping to shelter 
themselves in its glare. But they were descried ; M. de Ligné told 
me of this, saying, ‘I can see the two herons up above still rising. I 
give you one as your share.” On which, seeing them at such an im- 
mense height, I replied that the falcons would have great difficulty in 
getting at them. Then he let fly his bird, we doing likewise, and 
they all vied with one another in soaring upwards, using such 
diligence that soon we saw them almost as high up as one of the 
herons, Having first made an effort, and got above their prey, they 
commenced to deal it such a shower of blows that it seemed 
stupefied, and flew down to gain the shelter of the woods. We rode 
forward to bring the hounds to the assistance of the falcons, and 
were just in time; for the heron had thrown itself into a thicket, 
in which we captured it alive, although taken from the mouth of 
one of the dogs. Giving this bird to the falcons, we mounted our 
horses again to let fly after another.” 
The casts at the crow and magpie were also productive of sport. 
These birds would try at first to escape by means of speed, and 
then, recognising the uselessness of their efforts, they afterwards took 
