BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



or thorn bushes are dispersed at the distance of from 30 to 50 

 yards apart, is the place best calculated for this diversion. 



' When a magpie is seen at a distance, a hawk is immediately 

 to be cast off. The magpie will take refuge in a bush, the 

 moment that he sees the falcon, and will remain there until the 

 falconer arrives, with the hawk waiting on in the air. The 

 magpie is to be driven from his retreat, and the hawk, if at a 

 good pitch, will stoop at him as he passes to another bush, 

 from whence he is to be driven in the same way, another hawk 

 having been previously cast off, so that one or the other may 

 always be so situated as to attack him to advantage. 



' The second hawk is necessary, for the magpie shifts with 

 great cunning and dexterity to avoid the stoops ; and when 

 hard pressed, owing to the bushes being rather far apart, will 

 pass under the bellies of the horses, flutter along a cart rut, 

 and avail himself of every little inequality of the ground in 

 order to escape. 



' Four or five assistants, besides the falconer (who should 

 attend solely to his hawks) are required for this sport. They 

 should be well mounted, and provided with whips ; for the 

 magpie cannot be driven from a bush by a stick ; but the crack 

 of a whip will force him to leave it, even when he is so tired as 

 hardly to be able to fly. Nothing can be more animating than 

 this sport : it is, in my opinion, far superior to every other 

 kind of hawking. The object of the chase is fully a match for 

 its pursuers — a requisite absolutely necessary to give an 

 interest to any sport of this kind ; and it has the advantage of 

 giving full employment to the company, which is not the case 

 in partridge-hawking. The magpie will always endeavour to 

 make his way to some strong cover ; care, therefore, must be 

 taken to counteract him, and to drive him to that part of the 

 ground where the bushes are farthest from each other. It is 

 not easy to take a magpie in a hedge. Some of the horsemen 

 must be on each side of it ; some must ride behind, and some 

 before him ; for, unless compelled to rise, by being surrounded 

 on all sides, he will flutter along the hedge, so as to shelter 



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