ANECDOTES AND ADVENTURES 277 



was right above the remainder of the covey, which was speeding 

 away at a short distance above the ground. Changing his mind, 

 therefore, the tiercel stooped again at one of the fugitives. He 

 cut this down also, and shot up again, likewise over the retreat- 

 ing birds. For a second time the temptation proved too great, 

 and with a third stoop he took a third partridge. 



John Barr was flying a ger-tiercel at a pigeon on Epsom 

 Downs, not far from Tattenham Corner. But the hawk was no 

 match for the pigeon, which evaded all his stoops. Instead, how- 

 ever, of making off and thanking his lucky stars, this over-vain bird 

 stayed fooling around. Confident that the ger would not or could 

 not catch him, he sailed about, as if " chaffing" the big hawk and 

 challenging him to do his worst. At this moment an amateur 

 falconer came on the Downs by the Grand Stand, carrying a 

 falcon (peregrine) of by no means first-rate powers, but keen to 

 fly, and a good waiter on. Getting on to the open ground, this 

 gentleman threw off his falcon. But neither he nor his falcon 

 at first saw the pigeon, nor did the latter, intent on his game 

 with the ger, espy the distant foe. Thus the hawk had time 

 to get up some way before there was any suspicion on either side 

 that there was sport to be had. As soon as the falcon did cast 

 eyes on the inadvertent pigeon, she fortunately went up higher, 

 instead of starting in pursuit, as some eyesses would have done. 

 As she got to a pretty good pitch the pigeon at last became 

 aware that there was a second enemy in the field, or rather in 

 the air, and began to gird up his loins for flight in bitter earnest. 

 It was, however, now too late. The falcon towered far above, 

 and on the other side was the " allied power," the ger. Another 

 ten seconds and the falcon came down with a will, threw up, 

 and at the second shot did for the too imprudent joker. The 

 amateur had the laugh at John Barr for some days afterwards, 

 having "wiped his ger's eye" with a peregrine. 



Mr. Riley, who has had so much success with the short- 

 winged hawks, had thrown off a goshawk at a rabbit, which ran 

 past some old hollow pollard ashes. As he passed, out jumped a 

 fox and joined in the chase. This, however, boded no great good 

 for the hawk ; and her owner raised so unearthly a noise that 

 reynard turned aside into the fence just as the goshawk took the 

 rabbit only two or three yards away. On another occasion a 

 rabbit was ferreted out by the side of a mill-pool. The ferret 

 was close on his traces, and he jumped deliberately into the pool 

 and swam across. Mr. Riley, who, like a good austringer, loves 

 fair play above all things, thought it a shame to fly a wet rabbit, 



