594 



the grouna. Two other pegs, one on each side of this first peg, are driven in ; and from these fine 

 strings are carried to the point of the stick to which the Pigeon is fastened. These strings assist 

 in keeping the stick in its place when the man pulls another string, by which the stick is alter- 

 nately raised and then suddenly allowed to fall, thereby giving that fluttering motion to the 

 Pigeon's wings which best serves to attract the Hawk. The trapper hides under some bushes, 

 and, as his trap is usually set on the very summit of the ridge or peak, can keep a good look-out 

 for any bird approaching. When he sees one, he begins to pull at his Pigeon, and watches with 

 keen anxiety every movement of the Goshawk. The latter, as a rule, the instant he sees the 

 Pigeon, dashes at it either from one of the enclosed sides, or through the open one, and striking 

 against the net is enveloped in it. The nets, I should note, are supported on four slender posts 

 firmly driven into the ground, one at each corner of the square.; and to these the nets are loosely 

 hung by fine threads, or hairs from a cow's tail. 



"The price of a young female varies from R. 40 to 60. Birds in first, second, and third 

 plumage are valued at considerably less, not even a fourth of what a young bird will fetch. The 

 males are of proportionately less value. Nearly all of the birds caught in British and foreign 

 Gurhwal are taken to the Punjab, a few only finding their way down to the Rohilcund. 



" Despite of all that is said about short-wing Hawks, this bird is capable of attaining a high 

 degree of efficiency as a bold and rapid flyer, an indefatigable worker, and affording decidedly the 

 best sport that can be had in a forest country. When first put to the quarry, they fly with out- 

 spread wings, with a listless, slow motion, like that of a great Owl, admirably described in Sir 

 John Sebright's little pamphlet on hawking ; but by every-day practice, and constant flying at the 

 black Partridge, high feeding, and carefully training it to become familiar with men, dogs, and 

 all other objects likely to frighten it, it becomes in about two or three months perfect at its 

 work. The docility of the bird in the hands of a good trainer is wonderful. Its intelligence is 

 almost equal to that of the dogs. I have had them (and it must be said that the natives of India 

 are the only people who seem to understand rightly the training of this bird) so docile and 

 intelligent that by the mere putting out of my hand the birds have flown from the falconer's 

 fists and settled on mine whilst seated on an elephant, and this because I was in the habit of 

 receiving the birds on my fists to fly at black Partridges. Other birds have shown equal intelli- 

 gence ; one I lately had used to be unleashed at my tent door, would fly to the nearest tree, and, 

 as the party set out through forest and glade, would fly from tree to tree, and thus keep on, 

 quite up to the beaters and dogs, never lagging behind till a bird was flushed, but always suffi- 

 ciently forward to receive the quarry as it rose. This was the best bird I ever had at taking 

 black Partridges, which it always caught on the wing. 



" It was a beautiful sight to see Sultana shoot out of a tree like a cannon-shot, at a Par- 

 tridge just flushed, often striking it before it knew where it was. Sometimes, however, there 

 would be a race — Partridge ahead, Sultana immediately behind, each straining every nerve. The 

 Partridge must go on ; it dare not settle in the grass ; for to do this it must slacken its pace, each 

 moment bringing the Hawk closer to it, till at last it is clutched. This, over a fine spread of 

 grass, without much interruption to the view, is a splendid sight. Another fine flight often to 

 be witnessed with these birds is the taking the Francolin in tall heavy grass. A line of elephants 

 are beating up the game. The flushed Partridge, rising out of the grass, towers straight up ; the 



