PRACTICAL FALCONRY. 39 
hour or two—than they will when you are in the act of flying 
them. 
I never flew a hawk at a wild duck, I am sorry to say; but any- 
one who has passed through anything like the falconry I have just 
written about, will have no difficulty with this quarry. The falcon 
should be used, eyess or haggard, and she might possibly want 
entering. The danger is of the duck diving ; but on marshes the 
sport might be excellent. 
I mentioned house pigeons above, but only in passing. If you can 
get over the notion of having had them in your pocket or basket, 
they will show excellent eport ; and there is no reason whatever 
why a hawk thoroughly entered to game should not fly them. The 
only delicacy is with those unentered. On the contrary, they exer- 
cise a hawk famously, and make her practise all her stoops and 
twists. Fly at them alternately with game, and welcome. But, 
if you have no opportunity for game-hawking, you may 
fall back on pigeons with advantage. I have often amused 
—nay, very much interested—myself and my friends by taking 
the hawks from the blocks, and flying them at my dovecote 
pigeons. Many w time hawk and quarry have been lost in the 
clouds, for some pigeons ring beautifully ; and then the rush down 
for home, when she has well beaten them in the air, is really 
very fine, and I have seen hawks make magnificent practice while at 
it. The misfortune is that after a time the pigeons refuse to stir 
from the roof. 
