Correspondence



43



but some individuals seem inclined to adopt one method almost to the

exclusion of the other. The first method, and perhaps the most striking,

is when the Falcon “ stoops ” from a great height at its prey (“ quarry ”

is the technical term), which is doing its best to escape by flight far

below it, and cuts its victim over with such force that it falls dead or

very severely cripjDled to the ground. (I have seen a grouse bound

6 feet into the air from the force of the impact when struck.) The

Falcon “ draws up ” and comes down on her victim, who, if alive, is

adroitly killed at once by a severe bite at the base of the skull, crushing

the vertebrae. If the prey is of a kind that is likely to defend itself,

such as a Crow, or Rook, or Gull, the Falcon muzzles it first with one

foot, and then kills it.


The other method is as follows. The “ stoop ” is, of course, the same,

but the Falcon, instead of cracking her “ quarry ” over, comes down

slightly behind it, and with the immense impetus gained by the stoop

rushes through the air immediately overtaking almost any bird, who

is seized in the feet (this is called “ trussing ”) and carried on a short

or longer distance, according to either the weight of the bird or the

will of the Falcon. On these occasions the quarry, of course, is always

alive, but is so quickly killed by the Falcon on landing that it is always

extremely difficult to get up in time to save the life of any bird. The

Falcon in question is one of the Lanner Falcons, Falco biarmicus

elangeri ; it inhabits North Africa, and is, or, rather, was, much used

by the Arabs in falconing. We have never thought much of the

Lanners ; this country does not really suit them, and the Peregrine

is all that can be desired.


The true Eagles, Aquila, kill their prey much as the Falcons do, but

as the great majority of their prey are mammals and caught on the

ground, they are killed by the immensely powerful grip of the feet and

talons.


The Short-winged Hawks, such as the Goshawk, Astur, and Sparrow

Hawk, Acciqnter, which catch their prey by means of a short and very

rapid chase through the air, kill their prey by crushing with their feet,

and so far as one can make out, do not seem aware of the “ seat of life ’

like the Falcons are ; but anyone who has carried a female Goshawk in

“ yarak ” (the technical term for “ flying order ”) on his glove can well



