HERON-HAWKING. 225 



good heron if they adopt the same tactics that he does in 

 mounting. This the two old hawks know full well. So 

 far they have been pretty near together, but, seeing the 

 prey beginning to mount, they separate, each their own 

 way, now taking a long turn down wind, and then 

 breasting the wind again. ' De Ruyter' makes the best 

 rings, and after having gone a mile, there is a shout — 

 ' Now "De Ruyter" is above him !' and the hawk is seen 

 poising herself for a stoop ; down she comes, with closed 

 wings, like a bullet, and hits the heron ; it is too high 

 to see where, but the scream the quarry gives is 

 tremendous. Hurrah ! there 's a stoop for you ! Both 

 hawk and heron have descended some yards ; the former, 

 from the impetus of her stoop, much beneath the heron, 

 but she shoots up again to a level. In fact, it was a perfect 

 stoop. Though so near the heron, she does not attempt a 

 little stoop, but again heads the wind so that the heron 

 appears to be flying the hawk. ' Sultan' is now above 

 both, and makes her stoop, but not so good as her partner's. 

 However, she makes two quickly, and is within an ace 

 of catching ; but the good heron will not give an inch, 

 and ' Sultan' will have to give another ring for another 

 stoop. But where is'De Ruyter' all this time? She 

 has made a long ring, and is now a long way above 

 them. She makes another full stoop, and this time there 

 is no mistake about it, for she hits the heron so hard that 

 he is nearly stupefied. 'Sultan' joins in the fray and 



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