BIRDS OF PREY. 47 



a flock of ducks liigli in the air tliat the flock 

 would open, some ascending, some closing their 

 wings and falling like stones to reach the shelter 

 of the trees, and it was these last birds which 

 the hawk always followed. 



Once in Scotland a mallard rose out of shot 

 from a httle loch, but was soon seen returning 

 hotly pursued by two falcons. He had a long- 

 start, and had just reached the water when 

 down came the female, and though he partly 

 dodged the blow she knocked him down, pro- 

 bably with her wing, at the water's edge, and 

 seizing liim by the back with one foot and a 

 bunch of heather with the other, she held him 

 in spite of his struggles, screaming all the time 

 to her companion, ' Come and help ! come and 

 help ! ' And coming he was as fast as wings 

 could carry him, when he detected the head 

 keeper not seventy yards off also hurrying up 

 to join in the fray. He gave a sharp cry of 

 alarm ; the other directly let go the duck, which 

 escaped on to the loch apparently unhurt, and 

 made off. . 



