SQ FALCONID.?:. 



to the female ; the male is called a Lanneret, on account of 

 his smaller size. 



Sir John Sebright, in his Observations on Hawking, be- 

 fore quoted, thus describes the mode of flying Peregrine 

 Falcons at Herons, as practised in Norfolk : — " A well- 

 stocked Heronry in an open country is necessary for this 

 sport ; and this may be seen in the greatest perfection at 

 Didlinjrton in Norfolk, the seat of Colonel Wilson. This 

 Heronry is situated on a river, with an open country on 

 every side of it. The Herons go out in the morning to 

 rivers and ponds at a very considerable distance in search of 

 food, and return to the Heronry towards the evening. 



It is at this time that the falconers place themselves in 

 the open country, down wind of the Heronry ; so that when 

 the Herons are intercepted on their return home, they are 

 obliged to fly against the wind to gain their place of retreat. 

 When a Heron passes, a cast (a couple) of Hawks is let go. 

 The Heron disgorges his food when he finds that he is pur- 

 sued, and endeavours to keep above the Hawks by rising in 

 the air ; the Hawks fly in a spiral direction to get above the 

 Heron, and thus the three birds frequently appear to be fly- 

 ing in different directions. The first Hawk makes his stoop 

 as soon as he gets above the Heron, who evades it by a 

 shift, and thus gives the second hawk time to get up, and 

 to stoop in his turn. In what is deemed a good flight, this 

 is frequently repeated, and the three birds often mount to a 

 great height in the air. When one of the Hawks seizes his 

 prey, the other soon binds to him, as it is termed, and buoy- 

 ant from the motion of their wings, the three descend toge- 

 ther to the ground with but little velocity. The falconer 

 must lose no time in getting hold of the Heron"'s neck when 

 he is on the ground, to prevent him from injuring the 



