NATURE AND SPORT IN BRITAIN 



former year 44 falcons captured 287 herons, while in 

 1852 36 falcons took no less than 297 of their long- 

 billed quarry. 



In the old days it is probable that our hawking 

 ancestors usually flew their falcons at herons on their 

 way home to the heronries. The falconers strove 

 always to take advantage of the breeze, for the reason 

 that if the heron got away down wind it was seldom 

 killed. If the herons were forced to beat against the 

 gale, excellent flights were obtained. The heron, when 

 surprised by falcons, usually disgorged any fish that 

 it might not have digested, and, thus disencumbered, 

 often gave magnificent flights, ringing up into the 

 heavens with a strong and sustained spiral ascent, so 

 lofty that occasionally falcon and quarry vanished 

 beyond the vision of the sportsman. The falcon struck 

 its quarry usually in the back, and, " binding to," 

 came to earth with it. The notion, immortalised by 

 Scott in The Betrothed, that the hern was in the habit 

 of impaling the falcon in its stoop upon its strong and 

 sharp bill must, it is to be feared, be dismissed as a 

 picturesque piece of fiction not occurring in real hawk- 

 ing. Yet it is undeniable that, when brought down, 

 the heron was capable of inflicting dangerous wounds. 

 Even men have been known to lose an eye from a 

 stroke of the long, spear-like bill. Old hawking in- 

 structions directed the falconer, when the falcon had 

 climbed to the hern and brought her down, to run in 

 and rescue the hawk, thrusting the heron's bill into 

 the ground, and breaking its wings and legs a 

 scandalously cruel practice. 



The heron has marvellous digestive powers, and dis- 

 solves and assimilates the bones of its prey. The 

 people of the Faroe Islands had formerly various 

 quaint superstitions concerning this bird. One of 



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