HAWKING. 587 



a dog was required to flush the game, and three falcons to capture 

 it : the duty of the first was to make the quarry rise, of the second 

 to follow it, and of the third to clutch it. We shall quote from an 

 ancient author of a " Treatise on Falconry " the account of a cast at 

 a heron ; the description will well explain the details of this kind 

 of sport. 



" Now riding fast, we soon came by the side of the meadows 

 adjoining the warren, where the 'markers' of M. de Ligne* dis- 

 covered three herons, and at once came to tell him of it. Making 

 up his mind to attack them, the Sieur de Ligne did me the favour 

 of giving me a white gyrfalcon, named * La Perle,' to let ' fly ; he 

 himself took another, called 'Le Gentilhomme,' and one of his 

 people took a third, named ' Le Pinson.' When the herons heard 

 us approach they became alarmed, and .took wing while we were 

 yet some distance off; seeing this, we let fly the birds, which were 

 some time before they perceived the quarry. At last one of the 

 hawks caught sight of them, and went in pursuit. The two others 

 immediately followed with so much ardour and speed that in a very 

 short time they had all reached the herons, and were attacking one, 

 which defended itself; but it was so roughly treated that it could not 

 make much resistance, and was soon taken. Whilst the falcons were 

 having their pleasure with it (that is, whilst the quarry was being given 

 them), the other herons, frightened at seeing their companion so badly 

 treated, kept on rising in the direction of the sun, hoping to shelter 

 themselves in its glare. But they were descried \ M. de Ligne told 

 me of this, saying, ' I can see the two herons up above still rising. I 

 give you one as your share.' On which, seeing them at such an im- 

 mense height, I replied that the falcons would have great difficulty in 

 getting at them. Then he let fly his bird, we doing likewise, and 

 they all vied with one another in soaring upwards, using such 

 diligence that soon we saw them almost as high up as one of the 

 herons. Having first made an effort, and got above their prey, they 

 commenced to deal it such a shower of blows that it seemed 

 stupefied, and flew down to gain the shelter of the woods. We rode 

 forward to bring the hounds to the assistance of the falcons, and 

 were just in time ; for the heron had thrown itself into a thicket, 

 in which we captured it alive, although taken from the mouth of 

 one of the dogs. Giving this bird to the falcons, we mounted our 

 horses again to let fly after another/' 



The casts at the crow and magpie were also productive of sport. 

 These birds would try at first to escape by means of speed, and 

 then, recognising the uselessness of their efforts, they afterwards took 



