HAWKING. 157 



the "waist, and mounted on horseback, proceeded 

 slowly in the direction from whence the Heron was 

 flying ; and as soon as the Heron was nearly oppo- 

 site, though at a very considerable height in the air, 

 they slipped the hoods from off the heads of the 

 Falcons, holding them to the fist by the bit of 

 leather, till they caught sight of the Heron, when 

 the sport commenced in earnest. 



For the moment they were let loose, off they 

 went, straight as arrows, towards the Heron, which 

 by this time had gone a considerable distance ahead. 

 As they were dashing away towards it, an unfortu- 

 nate Crow happened to cross their course, when one 

 of them instantly darted at him, but he contrived to 

 escape by striking into a plantation, where the 

 Falcon followed, but did not take him, The other 

 Falcon soon overtook the 'Heron, which began to 

 prepare for the threatened attack, by disgorging its 

 ballast, consisting of two or three fishes ; while the 

 Hawk, after flying round for a short time in circles, 

 at length soared above him, and then pouncing 

 downwards, struck him on the back, when they both 

 came tumbling down together from a great height 

 to the ground. The other Falcon having lost some 

 time in chasing the Crow, was now flying with all 

 speed to assist her companion, and was coming up 

 just as the first Falcon and Heron were falling. At 

 this instant, a Rook happened to fly across, when 

 the disappointed Falcon struck at him, and they 

 both fell together, within twenty yards of the other 

 Falcon and Heron. No sooner had they reached 

 the ground, than each of the Falcons began to pull 

 its victim to pieces ; but as soon as the falconers 



