PRACTICAL FALCONRY. 35 
heron, on his way home, has passed the falconer a little. He dis- 
gorges his fish, he turns and goes down wind, making rings all the 
time in order to get above the hawks. They make rings too, and 
larger ones than his. One hawk is above the heron; she stoops, and 
hits or misses; in either case perhaps, but certainly in the former, 
both birds descend a little; but the second hawk has climbed up 
and stoops in herturn. After some blows there is a catch, both 
hawks “bind” to the quarry, and all three come down to the 
ground. Just before the ground is reached practised hawks loose 
their hold to save the bump, but make in again in a moment. 
You must ride at this sport, and that down wind, as fast as 
you can: the country is of course quite open. Danger to the 
hawk exists on the ground, scarcely ever during the flight, though 
even Sir Walter Scott has said so. If the heron is not hors de 
combat when the falconer comes up, the neck must be seized, and 
matters arranged as soon as possible. When heron hawks are rid- 
den to, as they always should be, the heron is often found unhurt, or 
not seriously hurt : in that case, the hawks are fed on hot pigeon, held 
under a dead heron’s wing, or even without that precaution if they 
are well-entered and practised birds; while the heron is restored to 
liberty, to fight or fly another day, and occasionally with a piece of 
copper bound round the leg, with the date, &c., of the capture—but 
this not till the hawks are hooded. 
It is not to be supposed that every peregrine falcon will fly a heron 
the moment she sees him, or that one which does make for him at first 
will stick to him all through. As a rule, a great deal of trouble is 
taken to enter hawks thoroughly to this quarry, bagged herons 
being necessary. 
Rook-hawking is, to w certain extent, a copy of heron-hawking ; 
though no rook can go up a8 a heron goes before a falcon, or a lark 
before a merlin. I have killed with eyesses a good many old rooks, 
and that in a very difficult country; but my friends generally use 
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