56 HOW I BECAME A FALCONER. 
and, when at last I brought the sport of lark-flying to a point as 
near perfection as I think it can attain, or as any other falconer has 
brought it, I used female as well as male birds for that flight, being 
certain that they have the less tendency to despair under disappoint- 
ment. Merlins, of all hawks, are the most liable to give up in the 
face of discouragement. They are very courageous birds, as far as 
attacking large quarry is concerned, and it is wonderful that such 
little creatures can capture and kill a pigeon; but they certainly 
will not go up into the skies time after time, when they are losing 
their larks. I have seen the truth of this year after year; and when 
the Barrs tried merlins at larks not very long ago, and were delighted 
with them to begin with, I told my friend “‘ Captain Falconer” that 
their enthusiasm would subside a little towards the middle of 
September. And so it did. About the 8th of September sky- 
larks have got over the moult, are in full feather nearly, and are 
almost ready to go up, before a fast cast of merlins, singing into 
the clouds. 
I don’t know whether it is bad taste in me to refer to “ Mount 
Carmel ;”’* but it was the Rev. Josiah Worzel of that book who, 
having seen my merlins leave their larks halfway, offered his advice 
upon the subject, and not very stupid advice either. For Mr. 
Worzel, more a farmer than a priest, was not altogether a fool ‘1 
and he really took some little interest in falconry. He never met 
me at one time without saying in his own charming and modest 
manner, which, as will be seen, rather omitted than assumed any - 
thing—‘ Well, ‘ Peregrine, ’ow’s the ‘awk ?” He told me he thought 
d ought not to unhood in bright sunlight. This has nothing in the 
world to do with merlins leaving their quarry ; but a long experience 
has taught me that he was in a measure right, for it is much better 
* Mount Carmel: a Tale of Modern English Life. Richard Bentley, New 
Burlington-street, 1867. 
