GAME-HAWKING 123 



peregrine and the ger so swift. It must be seen to be believed 

 in. There is no conceivable way of measuring its speed, but it 

 is such that the momentum of it alone carries the hawk with 

 half-closed wings right past a grouse at his best pace, making 

 that pace appear absolutely slow by comparison. The descent 

 from above is often made so that the hawk is at the end of it a 

 few feet or yards behind the grouse, and nearly on a level with 

 him. Hence the course of the pursuer bends forwards horizon- 

 tally, but with such deviation from the straight line as is 

 necessary to correspond with the flight of the pursued. It is so 

 regulated that it may pass through that part of the air where 

 the quarry is expected to be. Of course the expectation may 

 be falsified. The hawk may suppose that the grouse will 

 swerve to the right, whereas he may swerve to the left. But, 

 just as a fine fencer will divine by some subtle skill whether 

 his adversary is going to parry in carte or tierce^ or to make 

 a single or double disengagement, so the good game-hawk 

 judges from some slight movement or attitude where the 

 grouse intends to be at the moment when she rushes past. 

 This power is not so surprising in a haggard, but some eyesses 

 seem to be instinctively gifted with a share of it. Others 

 acquire it rapidly both in stooping at the lure and in their 

 actual flights. But with eyesses it is rather the exception to 

 be really good footers, whereas with haggards and many red 

 passage hawks it is almost the rule. 



Passage peregrines are, of course, much more likely to succeed 

 with grouse and black-game than eyesses. Out of a dozen 

 falcons skilfully taken in hand, and kept specially for game- 

 hawking, it would not be unreasonable to expect that eight or 

 nine would take their quarry well. By rights a passager which is 

 intended to be flown principally at game should be captured in 

 the spring. There is no use in keeping her all the while idle 

 from November to the next August. If taken in April she would 

 be well fit for flying on the twelfth of August. There would, 

 it is true, be some trouble about the moult, but this might often 

 be deferred till very much later than it can be with eyesses. 

 According to modern practice, which is to catch no wild 

 peregrines in spring, the passager has almost always been more 

 or less flown at rooks in the early part of the year. She has 

 accordingly to unlearn a good deal that she learnt then, and be 

 introduced to the much more risky and artificial accomplish- 

 ment of waiting on. That she should take kindly to this habit 

 is not a thing to be anticipated. It would be going rather too 

 far to expect her to moon about overhead humbly waiting till 



