THE SNIPE LOCHS. FISH-LORE. 95 



pair of hen-harriers hunting the ground in a most 

 business-like manner. Archie was intensely dis- 

 gusted, and declared they were strangers, and not 

 bred on HIS ground ; but there they were, and it is 

 no child's work to get at the old birds by trap or 

 gun. 



It shows the wonderful instinct of birds, to observe 

 how differently grouse will act on seeing the hen- 

 harrier, from what they do on seeing the peregrine 

 falcon. When the hen-harrier is observed by the 

 grouse, they fly straight off the hill, as this hawk 

 takes her prey on the ground ; but on seeing the pere- 

 grine, who flies like the wind, and strikes the grouse 

 on wing, they lie close in the heather, and will 

 scarcely take flight. 



A cloth-kite, meant to represent this falcon, is 

 sometimes flown to make birds sit. I have not 

 seen it answer. Possibly it might simulate the hen- 

 harrier more than the peregrine, as it appeared to 

 have an opposite effect. But I have seen a real hawk 

 do good service; for one day when shooting part- 

 ridges, a great covey rose very wild, and were 

 going clear away, when a large hawk made a dash 

 at them, and they took refuge in a turnip -field ; 

 and then sat so close that I and a friend made a 



