HAWKING. 127 



Rook happened to fly across, when the disappointed Falcon 

 struck at him, and they both fell together, within twenty 

 yards of the other Falcon and Heron. No sooner had they 

 reached the ground than each of the Falcons began to pull its 

 victim to pieces ; but as soon as the falconers could come up, 

 the lures were thrown out, and the Falcons were allowed to 

 make a meal upon the Pigeons, having been kept fasting for 

 some hours before. 



The Pigeons were placed for them on the body of the 

 Heron ; and after they were satisfied, they were again hooded 

 and put up for the day. The next cast of Hawks consisted of 

 two younger birds ; and when let loose at another Heron, they 

 flew up to it very well. But the Heron was an old one, and 

 was supposed to have been attacked before ; for the moment 

 he saw his enemies below, he began to soar into the air, and 

 set up a loud croak, and the two young Falcons, not so ex- 

 perienced as the two first older ones, would not attack the 

 Heron, but after flying about for some time left him. Upon 

 this, one of the falconers set up a peculiar call to which the 

 birds were accustomed, when one of them, from a great height 

 in the air, immediately closed his wings, and darting down to 

 the man who called him, was taken in hand. The other 

 Falcon, however, was not so well trained and obedient, but 

 continued to sail about in the air. 



At length a Heron approached, and she attacked it, but 

 without success, and soon left it ; at last a third Heron 

 crossed, which she attacked, and, after a short struggle, 

 succeeded in bringing to the ground in the same manner as in 

 the first case. This last Heron had its wing broken, and the 

 falconer killed it, but the other was taken alive, and after- 

 wards turned out before a single Falcon, which struck it down 

 in a minute. It was said, that if a Heron had been once 

 taken by a Falcon, it would never afterwards show sport by 

 soaring and endeavouring to escape. It was the case with 

 this one, for as soon as it saw its enemy approaching, it 

 appeared to lose all its powers, and merely made a trifling 

 and awkward defence on the ground, where the Falcon would 



