RUSSIAN SETTERS. 165 



concealed in the heather, the female hawk 

 or falcon cowers over the fallen grouse, and 

 cunningly endeavours to screen it from discovery 

 with her extended wings, while the male or 

 tiercel waits patiently until his Patagonian 

 partner shall have so far satisfied her appetite as 

 to allow him to partake of the repast. Here the 

 falconer will exercise his judgment. If a second 

 flight is contemplated he will gradually secure the 

 quarry, and reward his hawks with a few mouth- 

 fuls of meat from the lure ; but it will be ad- 

 visable for him occasionally to leave them in 

 undisturbed possession of their prey, or they will 

 contract the bad habit of attempting to ' carry' it 

 away on his approach. According to Colonel 

 Bonham three grouse are sufficient to take from a 

 falcon in one day. 



But to return to the dogs, who have acted their 

 part to perfection, and have been as immoveable 

 as the surrounding rocks during the process of 

 feeding and securing the hawks, and releasing the 

 grouse from their grasp. One might expect that 

 if taken out with the gun on the following day 

 their performance would be less creditable. No 

 such thing. These Russians were capable of dis- 

 tinguishing and appreciating the nature of the 

 different characters in which they were alternately 

 required to appear, and when the game was sprung 



