VIRTUE AND VICE 263 



after a while, thinking, apparently, that the spot where she is is 

 not exactly the most convenient that could be found for a meal, 

 will get up, pelt in hand, and fly off in search of one more desir- 

 able. This is done out of no feeling of mistrust or deliberate con- 

 viction that her prize is likely to be taken from her. Thus the 

 fact that the hawk is quite tame, and even likes your company 

 at her dinner, is no safeguard against this vexatious habit. I have 

 known a jack-merlin which was frequently easy to take up, bolt 

 with a full-sized lark, and carry it, as if it weighed no more than 

 a feather, for nearly half a mile, searching for a place which was 

 good enough for my lord to picnic on, and disdaining several 

 flat mounds which lay in his way, and which would have formed 

 luxurious tables. The same hawk once carried a lark about six 

 hundred yards in one direction, and then, seeing no specially at- 

 tractive ground on that side, came back the whole way, and, flying 

 past at about fifty yards distance, settled on a rough, dirty heap 

 two or three hundred yards in a different direction. Had he 

 gone straight on for the same length of time in the original 

 direction, he would either have been lost and left out, or only 

 found by accident after a search of long duration. Sometimes 

 a hawk, too dainty to feed on the ground amongst prickly stubble 

 or tall, wet turnip-leaves, will go off with her quarry into a tree, 

 which is not a particularly comfortable dining-place, but which 

 she chooses to prefer. Mr. St. Quintin had a fine falcon which 

 persisted in this vice, until he actually got rid of her. 



Other hawks, especially merlins, delight in going off to ricks 

 to plume and eat their quarry. There are not many trees in 

 places where the best merlins are flown, but there are always 

 plenty of ricks. Sometimes it is possible to climb these struc- 

 tures ; and many a time has the falconer, if a small man, been 

 hoisted up on the shoulders of some stalwart friend, or, if he is 

 stalwart himself, has given a back to some smaller man, or even 

 a man and a boy, ladderwise. Often, however, the rick is 

 unclimbable. Then what is to be done? for you cannot drag a 

 ladder for miles over the downs. The surest way is to carry a 

 long coil of string, with a bullet at one end. Stand at one side 

 of the rick on which your hawk is quietly and contentedly pluck- 

 ing her victim ; sling the bullet over the top of the rick, and as 

 nearly over the head of the hawk herself as your skill and the 

 wind will allow. Then, if you have an attendant, let him take 

 hold of the end of the string which has no bullet attached, and 

 which has not gone flying over the rick. If you have no com- 

 panion, peg down this last-mentioned end at a good distance 



