VIRTUE AND VICE 267 



have they come up level with the man than they at once fall 

 back on the wind, lowering their pitch, if pitch it can be called, 

 so that for all useful purposes their attendance is a mere sham, 

 and they might as well be on the falconer's glove. Repeating 

 this idiotic performance in the field, they are some hundreds of 

 yards to leeward, and at a low elevation, when the grouse or 

 partridge get up, and a stern-chase ensues, in which the quarry, 

 going up-wind, gets the best of it. For this annoying vice there 

 is no direct remedy. Experience may be expected to teach 

 the young hawk better. One plan is to let loose pigeons, 

 while the hawk is so waiting on, so that, after missing some, 

 by reason of raking and low flying, and perhaps catching others 

 when flying properly, she may understand at last how success 

 is to be had. 



Checking is a crime to which we are not now so much 

 exposed as were the old falconers. Bird life is not so abundant 

 now, at least in England, that a hawk is confronted often with 

 an embarras de richesses, and leaves her legitimate quarry for a 

 stray bird of a different species. Eyesses, indeed, if kept to 

 one quarry, will often hardly be induced to pursue any other. 

 Passage hawks are more ready to check at birds which cross 

 their path. It would be rather too much to expect a haggard 

 falcon, which in her time has struck down birds of fifty different 

 kinds, to discriminate very nicely between a plump partridge 

 and a fat wood-pigeon when Providence threw either within 

 reach of an easy stoop. It is when a passage hawk has been 

 flown at rooks in the spring, and afterwards at game in the 

 game season, that there is the chief danger of checking. As 

 long as the sable quarry is alone attempted the risk is not 

 great. The hawk is flown out of the hood at quarry actually 

 in sight. It is only when that quarry has saved itself that the 

 temptation to check occurs, and at that moment there are, or 

 ought to be, lures waving near at hand. But encourage the 

 rook-hawk to become a game-hawk, and the case is altogether 

 changed. She has to go up alone, with nothing particular in 

 view, and wait aloft till the falconer springs her quarry. More- 

 over, she knows now that rooks are not the only lawful game. 

 She is at full liberty to go at grouse ; and, if grouse, why not 

 wood-pigeons and house-pigeons, gulls, or curlew? Why not 

 anything which is desirable, and which "tempts her roving 

 eyes " ? 



The besetting sin of the checking peregrine is the chase of 

 pigeons, wild and tame. Often, it must be admitted, this sin is 



