HERON-HA WKING 467 



Heron- Hawking. 



The Dutch falconers have introduced us to the best 

 way of hawking herons, which is done by going down 

 wind with the falcon (two generally being used) from 

 the heronry, where the falconer awaits the return of the 

 old birds from fishing. When they are viewed, a scout 

 (who is posted to give notice) gives the warning cry of 

 ' Au vol !' When the heron is seen to be sufficiently 

 near to the falconer, the latter lets go his brace of 

 falcons down wind, one a little before the other, when 

 they mount in circles until they are uppermost, and a 

 terrific stooping takes place. 



When the heron sees the falcons coming down 

 wind on her, she mounts in circles, uttering a loud cry, 

 and proceeds to disgorge the contents of her crop — eels 

 frogs, fish, etc. — in order that she may lighten herself, 

 and thus be more active, and so outfly the falcons by 

 rising above them. It is one of the finest flights 

 in falconry, for frequently all three birds are seen 

 going in different directions. The heron, having had 

 the start of its pursuers, is enabled to gain a height 

 which the falcons cannot do without taking a long, 

 spiral course, so as to mount higher than the heron. 

 The higher the heron goes the more the falcons use this 

 spiral flight, until, when almost out of sight, they rise 

 above their quarry. 



After a time, when the quarry is knocked about a 

 good deal, the falcons ' bind ' upon her, and all descend 

 until they are near the earth, when the falcons ' un- 

 bind ' to avoid the shock. Very often when the first 

 hawk strikes the heron shifts her flight, in order to 

 avoid the stoop ; but the second falcon, which is ' wait- 



