THE PEREGRINE FALCON 225 



desired purpose, and was preferable to the use of 

 an artificial kite. I imagine that there are few 

 sportsmen who would not endorse this opinion. 

 I have never been able to reconcile myself 

 to the use of the artificial kite. There ever 

 appears to be an unsportsmanlike element about 

 the whole thing, though I am well aware that 

 in exceptionally dry seasons, when birds are 

 generally plentiful and covert scarce, it may 

 with some reason be argued a necessity to 

 adopt some such measures in order to thin too 

 heavy a stock of game. The artificial kite is, 

 however, difficult to manage well ; even in prac- 

 tised hands affairs do not always run as smoothly 

 as might be desired, and when it is possible to 

 use really well-trained falcons, as suggested by 

 Mr. Corballis, such a system would doubtless add 

 to the interest of the proceedings ; but the training 

 necessary to permit the use of falcons under such 

 circumstances must be of a very high order. In a 

 later chapter I shall have occasion to refer to an 

 interesting anecdote of an encounter between a 

 peregrine falcon and a heron, of which a friend of 

 mine, who narrated the occurrence to me, was 

 an eye-witness. The latter part of the account 

 serves to substantiate the assertion that these 

 falcons, unless trained and actually flown at a 

 quarry, are not always persistent in their 

 attacks, though at other times they will fight to 

 the death. 



By far the greater number of peregrine falcons 



15 



