136 Sport and Life in the Further Himalaya 



hawk on his fist, but scarcely had he done so when 

 shouts of "Hani! hdni!" came from the stops, 

 and a covey flew down wind close below us. 

 The Mehtar again threw off a " gos," and another 

 of the party a Shahin falcon. A goshawk's tiercel 

 (a male bird) is never flown simultaneously with 

 the female, which is bigger and stronger, and has 

 an unpleasant way of mistaking him for her quarry ! 

 And now the game was at its height, cries 

 of "Hai! hai!" or "Hani! hani!" followed 

 each other in quick succession, and the chakor 

 shot by us in single birds and coveys. One after 

 another the hawks were thrown off, and it was a 

 magnificent sight to see them wheel round in the 

 wind, get their balance, and dart off in pur- 

 suit. As each one was thrown off, the falconer 

 in charge dashed after her at full speed to take up 

 the hawk if a kill had been scored, or to call her 

 off if unsuccessful. The latter is done by cries of 

 " Doh ! doh ! " for goshawks and the short- winged 

 kind, and " Koh ! koh ! " for the long-winged hawks. 

 To attract the latter, the lure made of crow's 

 feathers is also thrown up into the air and whirled 

 about. Both sorts come back on to the falconer's 

 fist from long distances. If the flight is successful, 

 the quarry's head is cut off, and the hawk, after 

 being rewarded with the brain, is brought back 

 for a fresh flight, and in this way the same 



