ROOK-HAWKING 113 



the young crops preclude the possibility of riding over arable 

 land ; and it is impossible to ensure that the area of a flight 

 shall be confined to the open downs. It is on some broad 

 expanse of turf, however, that the quarry should be found, if 

 you are to enjoy a good gallop and a proper view of the flight ; 

 for if you have to jump fences, you must needs take your eyes 

 off the birds, and it may then be difficult to catch sight of them 

 quickly again. You should not fly at a rook if there is any 

 tolerable covert within half a mile down-wind, or a third of a 

 mile on either side. The distance up-wind to the nearest covert 

 need not be so great. When a rook is just rising off the ground, 

 you can of course give him more law than when he is already 

 on the wing. For, as has been said, height in the air counts 

 very much more than distance along the flat. Even the small 

 elevation from which a hawk starts as you carry her on horse- 

 back gives her a certain advantage over the rook which is only 

 just off the ground. Rook flights often end more than a mile 

 in a straight line from the start. But generally this is equivalent 

 to saying that the distance flown has been more than double as 

 much, by reason of the doublings and up-and-down dashes w hich 

 both birds have made. In following a flight, it is best to keep 

 about a quarter of a mile to leeward, or as near- this as you can 

 get, while keeping a good view of the scene. As the rook gets 

 higher, still keep well to leeward, until you are pretty sure what 

 covert the rook will ultimately make for. A little practice will 

 generally enable you to make a pretty good guess, although 

 perhaps for a while the rook may be heading a different way. 

 If you are wrong, and find yourself thrown out, perhaps the best 

 plan is not to ride hard in the vain hope of getting nearer, but 

 take out your field-glasses, and watch the flight from about 

 where you are. Each man out who knows enough about hawk- 

 ing to be able to take up a hawk, should carry a spare lure, so 

 that, in case of a lost hawk, he may try for her in his own 

 direction, while others are engaged on the same task in theirs. 

 Agree beforehand, however, with the owner of the hawk, that if 

 you find her you may take her up. 



Falcons are generally flown single at rooks, except at the 

 time of entering them with a make-hawk. In a double flight I 

 think that the rook is as a rule a bit overmatched, that is, if 

 the hawks are in proper fettle. But for entering a backward 

 hawk, or encouraging one which does not take kindly to this 

 flight, it is very useful to use a make-hawk, that is to say, one 

 which is already keen in the cause. Most hawks are very 

 strongly influenced by example ; and a young eyess particularly, 

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