2D6 REMINISCENCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



all whose efforts are steadily engaged in avoiding them. 

 To accomplish this, the heron makes strenuous efforts 

 to rise above the falcons, again knowing by instinct 

 that these birds of prey can only make their stoop on 

 their quarry when elevated above them. The hawks, by 

 the superiority of strength of wings, usually succeed in 

 getting the upper station, from which one of them soon 

 makes its stoop; and fortunate it is for the poor heron if 

 he can avoid the blow, which sometimes happens either 

 by shifting its station, or turning on his back, and receiv- 

 ing the falcon on his sharp bill. This sometimes proves 

 fatal to his enemy. The second hawk, if the first fails, 

 stoops in his turn ; and even this is now avoided by the 

 same manoeuvres of the heron. The trio then still 

 rising higher and higher, the struggle of the heron to 

 escape these birds of prey becomes highly interesting to 

 the spectators. After a short time another stoop is 

 made, with success, whilst the other binds to its fellow, 

 and all three quickly descend together, but not with a 

 dangerous rapidity, as the action of their wings breaks' 

 the fall, and the hawk has the caution to quit his prey 

 just before reaching the ground. Now it is the 

 mounted horsemen make the best of their way to the 

 assistance of their falcons, and their first efforts must 

 be to secure the head of the heron, that the sharp bill 

 may not take effect on either of the hawks. To effect 

 this, the best plan is to put the foot on the neck of the 

 heron : this is decidedly the safest way, as the wounded 

 bird becomes very fierce and savage in his attacks on 

 the falcon. In the book of St. Alban's is the following 

 note : " The heron is a fowl that liveth about waters, 

 and yet she does so abhorre raine and tempeste, that 

 she seaketh to avoid it by flying up on high. She hath 



