268 EEMINISCENCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



the falconer draws out the pigeons where, the nets are 

 fixed, which flattering round, generally tempts the hawk 

 to make a stoop at one of them, which if it takes, it is 

 inevitably ensnared. While the falcon is near, the 

 shrike continues in his hiding-place, hardly daring to 

 show his head at the entrance of his retreat : should the 

 falcon be taken, or pass over without attacking the 

 pigeons, he cautiously creeps out, yet almost afraid to 

 trust himself on the hillock, looking on every side ; and 

 does not during some time recover from his alarm. He 

 is even more terrified at the sight of a goshawk, scream- 

 ing and endeavouring to escape, as this hawk would seize 

 him in his hiding-place should it get sight of him, which 

 the falcon would not. He does not show much alarm 

 at the sight of a kite, nor at the different species of 

 buzzard, unless they are very near him ; so that by the 

 motions of the butcher bird the falconer can tell almost 

 with certainty the species of hawk which is approach- 

 ing. Were it not for the penetrating eye of the watchful 

 bird, the falconer would sit many hours to no purpose, 

 for he would not know when to draw the pigeons out to 

 lure the hawk." 



The manner in which the Icelanders capture falcons 

 is thus related by Herrebon, in his " Natural History of 

 Iceland." " They strike two posts into the ground at a 

 little distance from each other ; to one they tie a part- 

 ridge or pigeon by a small line two or three yards long, 

 that they may flutter about a little and that the falcon 

 may sooner observe them ; to the leg of the partridge 

 or pigeon they tie another string a hundred yards* length 

 or more, which goes through a hole in the other post, in 

 order to draw the bait to that post, where a net is fixed 

 like a fishing net, with a hoop in a semicircle of six feet 



