620 EAPTOEES, OR BIRDS OF PREY. 



some time before tliey 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 covdd not 

 make much resistance, and was soon taken. AVhilst 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 Ligne 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 immense 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 

 dog's. Givins: this bird to the Falcons, we mounted our horses 

 again to let fly after another." 



The casts at the Crow and the Magpie were also very amusing. 

 These birds would try at first to escape by means of sjjeed, and then, 

 recognising the uselessness of their efforts, they afterwards took 

 refuffe in a tree, from which the falconer^ had much trouble to 

 drive them, so great was their terror for their pursuers. 



For Jield and river sport the Falcon is not let fly direct from the 

 fist; that is, the Falcon does not attack immediately on leaving the 

 hand — it is tJiroizn up, or, in common parlance, is let fly, before 

 the Q-ame flushes. The Falcon hovers for some time, and then 

 stoops down on the prey which the dogs have forced up. In order 

 to escape its persecutor the Wild Duck often takes to the water ; 

 from this the dogs again force it to take wing. The Hare is 

 hunted in much the same way. 



