PEREGRINE CHASING A MALLARD. 173 



destructive nibbling and in some of the beautiful woods of 

 Brodie I saw the fine holly-trees of many years' growth, with 

 stems of six inches in diameter, perfectly killed by being 

 barked by rabbits. 



Most of the hill-bred hawks, such as hen-harriers, merlins, 

 peregrines, &c., come down now to hunt the fields, which are 

 clear of corn, and also to feed on the plovers, &c., which 

 frequent the shore. I sometimes see the peregrine in pursuit 

 of wild ducks ; and one day I observed a hawk of this kind 

 give chase to an old mallard. The pursuit was rather 

 curious, reversing the usual order of things, as the falcon's 

 great object was to keep below the mallard instead of above 

 him ; the latter endeavouring all he could to get to the water, 

 in which case he knew, as the hawk did also, that his chance 

 of escape would be the greatest. Once in the water, his own 

 element, by diving and swimming he would soon have 

 baffled his pursuer. I don't know what was the end of the 

 chase ; the last 1 saw of them they were winging their rapid 

 flight straight across the sea for the opposite coast of Iloss- 

 shire. Either the hawk was not willing to strike his prey 

 while over the water, or the mallard had a vigour of wing 

 which enabled him to keep ahead of his murderous enemy. 



My tame peregrine, after some years spent in perfect friend- 

 ship and alliance with our pet owl, ended in killing and eat- 

 ing her ; a piece of ungenerous barbarism which I should not 

 have suspected so fine a bird would have committed. They 

 seemed to have quarrelled over the remains of some bird that 

 was given them. At anyrate all that remained of the poor 

 owl was a leg or two and some of the longer feathers. 



The country in its present enclosed state is not so well 

 adapted to the sport of hawking as formerly ; but, as far as 

 relates to the training of the birds, the process is much more 

 simple and easy than is generally supposed. Of course the 

 trainer must take in hand a bird of the proper kind, such as 

 a peregrine, a merlin, or an Iceland or ger falcon. A gos- 

 hawk is tractable enough ; but has not the same dash and 

 rapid flight as any of the true long-winged falcons. 



The first step is to accustom your bird to the hood, without 

 which you can do nothing ; but most hawks allow themselves 

 to be hooded quietly enough, and are then to a great degree 

 under your command, as when hooded you can carry her 

 when and where you like on your hand, and familiarise her 

 to your voice and to being handled. 

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