HERON HAWKING. 155 



' auceps.' In a second the hawks were unhooded 

 and turned off, and the next moment were in full 

 flight after the heron, who, taking advantage of 

 the wind, was rapidly increasing the distance 

 between us, and at the same time ascending to a 

 great height in a wide curve or circular gv ration ; 

 a manoeuvre in which he was anticipated by his 

 more active pursuers, who were now seen to rise 

 above him, but postponed coming to closer quar- 

 ters for so long, that we were soon running at our 

 best speed in the vain hope of obtaining a nearer 

 view of the sport ; while several of the party, 

 with their eyes directed upwards, appeared to 

 forget, or to despise the obstacles that were con- 

 tinually presented to their progress by an Irish 

 bog, and were soon sprawling in a turf-pit or 

 floundering, waist-deep, in a quagmire; so that 

 but very few of us were fortunate enough to be 

 looking in the right direction when the falcons, 

 who had already 'bound to their quarry,' were 

 now seen slowly descending together, like a fea- 

 thered parachute, to the ground. For my own 

 part, I was so lucky as to reach the spot a few 

 moments after the falconer, and found him be- 

 striding the prostrate heron, whose head he had 

 secured between his knees, while he appeared to 

 be anxiously examining his hawks to ascertain 

 whether they had received any wound from the 



