GULLS, HERON, KITE, DUCK, ETC. 143 



The best idea of gull-hawking will be given from a few 

 quotations from the diary of Mr. St. Quintin, who considers 

 it a very good day's work to kill two such quarry. On one 

 occasion an old tiercel, Destiny (who was flown for no less than 

 eight seasons), was taken out with a very fast eyess tiercel 

 called Kismet. Thrown off at a gull "on passage," that is to 

 say, passing on the wing, the hawks rattled off high in pursuit, 

 when a flock of starlings got up under them, and Destiny, 

 turning over, picked up one, while Kismet, getting above the 

 gull, killed him at the first stoop. Later on Kismet was flown 

 single-handed at a flock of gulls with a long slip, and again 

 managed to kill with his first stoop. Destiny was also slipped 

 single at a gull, but, after putting in stoop after stoop for at 

 least three-quarters of a mile, was fairly beaten, the quarry 

 apparently reaching the river Derwent. As the party hurried 

 after him he came back quite flown out, and was, of course, not 

 flown again that day. These hawks were at the time in first- 

 rate condition. Another year, Gulliver, a very fast eyess tiercel, 

 belonging to the Old Hawking Club, was taken out to be flown 

 with Starlight, who had more experience and was a very high 

 flier. The gulls were spread along a long furrow, and the two 

 hawks went for different ones. After Gulliver had fetched his 

 quarry and put in two stoops. Starlight, leaving his gull, came 

 to the assistance of the other hawk, and went at the quarry 

 with a smashing stoop. This, however, the gull avoided ; and 

 a long bout of good stooping followed, the eyess sticking to the 

 work pluckily, but showing signs of fatigue, while the other 

 hawk mounted high for a decisive shot. This, however, also 

 failed, and the gull, showing once more above both hawks, 

 went off scathless, leaving them both with " bellows to mend." 

 Destiny and Kismet on another occasion were thrown off to- 

 gether at a mixed flock of gulls. They again divided, Kismet 

 singling out a very large but immature herring-gull, which he 

 hit hard several times, and finally brought down almost on 

 his owner's head, while Destiny took after a common gull, and 

 killed him three-quarters of a mile down-wind. In the winter 

 of 1889-90 Mr. St. Quintin was so successful as to take forty- 

 three gulls in seventy-seven flights. 



Heron-hawking is a subject which, as far as England is con- 

 cerned, belongs rather to history than to practical falconry. A 

 great deal of nonsense, as well as a good deal of truth, has been 

 written about it, but those who feel interested must be referred 

 to the excellent account given in the work, already referred to, 

 by Schlegel and Wulverhorst, of the proceedings of the Loo 



