LARK-HAWKING 135 



your hand, well garnished with a tempting morsel, within reach 

 of her. 



With a troublesome merlin you may employ, if you are sure 

 of not bungling it, a very admirable device. You may resort to 

 what may be called the " fishing-rod trick." You will take with 

 you into the field two joints of a fishing-rod, not including the 

 top joint. On the thin end of the thinner of these joints, which 

 must be stiff and stout, you will have fitted a brass hook or 

 tooth, with its sharp point standing out an inch or so at right 

 angles from the rod. This apparatus is sometimes invaluable. 

 You may use one or both joints, as you find you can get nearer 

 or less near. When you begin to be afraid to go any nearer, 

 slide the thin end of the rod along the ground as you kneel 

 until it is quite close to the dead quarry. If your hawk has 

 had any decent manning at all, she will not be alarmed at it, 

 even if she notices its stealthy approach. Having got the 

 point on the lark's body, steering clear of the hawk's feet, 

 turn the point downwards on it, and firmly but gently press it 

 down and in. If you bungle, and the point slips, you are pro- 

 bably done ; but if it holds you are safe. Proceed then with 

 your making in, just as if there was no rod in the case. Always 

 endeavour to take up the hawk with the hand alone, retaining 

 your hold by the rod only as a last resort, in case of mischief 

 Each time that you can take her up without any trouble occur- 

 ring, the easier the job will become. And even an attempt to 

 bolt, which your firm hold with the rod renders unsuccessful, 

 will tend to convince the evil-doer of the futility of her proceed- 

 ing. Beware particularly of making in if a bagged lark is the 

 victim. With bagged larks, easily taken, hawks are always 

 inclined to bolt. On the other hand, if the lark has flown well, 

 and the hawk is winded, there is less to fear. 



When you have taken up your hawk, if you intend to fly her 

 again, contrive that the body of the lark is held in the palm of 

 your hand, and the neck alone protrudes between the forefinger 

 and the base of the thumb. Then, when the brain has been 

 eaten, and you have thrown away the beak and as much of the 

 rest of the head as you conveniently can, let her think, or try to 

 think, that there is no more to be had. If, on the other hand, you 

 intend to feed her up, let her eat the rest of the lark, or almost 

 all, and, as she finishes it, slip on the hood, and let her pull 

 through the last few mouthfuls. Or, as the remains of the lark 

 may be too bony to pull through easily, you may substitute a 

 morsel of sheep's heart, which she can more easily dispose of. 

 A jack which has had half a lark in the morning, and three 



