236 EEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



point, and then, like the goshawk, waits the fowl. If 

 she miss at the first down fall and kill not, she will 

 consult her advantage to her greatest ease. 



" These kinds of hawks are highly prized in France 

 and Italy, neither is she despisable in England ; but we 

 look upon her as slothful and hard mettled, and there- 

 fore if you intend to have any good of her keep a strict 

 hand over her, for she is of an ungrateful disposition, 

 and will slight your kindness, contrary to the nature of 

 the falcon gentle." The lanner is even in France be- 

 come a scarce bird, which may easily be accounted for, 

 as I have already stated of the kite and some other 

 birds of prey, which are very rarely seen in England, 

 their ravenous propensities leading to their destruc- 

 tion. 



Baebart Falcon. 



This beautiful little falcon in colour and markings is 

 a perfect miniature likeness of the peregrine, and might 

 be taken for a dwarf variety of that bird were it not 

 for its proportional difference. It forms in our eyes the 

 beau-ideal of what a falcon should be, and is a perfect 

 model of strenglh and speed combined. For although 

 smaller by nearly a fourth than a peregrine, it has the 

 organs of destruction, such as the beak, feet, and talons, 

 fully as large, united to longer and much more pointed 

 wings in proportion to its total length ; in this respect 

 almost rivalling the hobby. Little mention is made of 

 this bird by the old authors. 



The GrosHAWK. 



The goshawk and its miniature neighbour, the sparrow- 

 hawk, were the only true haivks ever used in this country 



