34 PRACTICAL FALCONRY. 
and size of the bird flown at, it will do; for the hawk, never having 
had such a bird in her feet, will easily be deceived. Of course, a 
live grouse or partridge, as the case may be, would be the proper 
thing; but it is difficult to obtain these, especially the former. But 
a good falconer, with fair material on his hands in the shape of 
hawks—especially if he have a covey scarcely full-grown to begin 
with—can have no occasion whatever for these artificial aids. You 
should learn to swim without the bladders. 
It is now high time to speak of other flights than those with grouse 
and partridge. 
Heron-hawking is the great sport, but I know it only from hear- 
say, and not from practice. Whilst grouse-hawking, indeed, a falcon 
of mine has more than once knocked w passing heron about, but I 
have never killed one. Haggards are used for the sport, though I 
think some eyesses would be equal to it; indeed, some few have, at 
odd times, killed herons. 
Herons are hawked on what is called the “passage ;” and not 
long ago there was a club in Holland—the Loo Club—whose mem- 
bers were very successful at this sport. By the “passage” is meant 
the passing of herons from the trees on which they build to their 
frog or fishing grounds, and the passing back again. Falconers are 
stationed at convenient parts of this passage, down wind of the 
heronry, on the look-out for returning birds, which are called 
“heavy,” because they carry food; or some very daring man, with 
an excellent hawk, may even venture upon a “light”? heron—i.e., 
one going ont to fish; but this is difficult and dangerous. I need, 
perhaps, scarcely say that the falcon, and not the tiercel, is used for 
this flight. 
A quarter of a mile from the falconer, and a couple of hundred 
yards or so in the air, is the greatest distance a faleoner ought to 
fly through—at any rate, as u rule, Herons have been killed with 
more law, but not often. Off go the hooda of two falcons when the 
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