124 THE IMPOETANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



nothing but practice is needed for perfection. 

 Thus, matters should be arranged to insure a kill. 

 To make certain of success a trained' bird-dog is 

 necessary, one which will stand fast on a point. 



In the case of a falcon, the bird is unhooded 

 when the dog crouches to a point. Immediately 

 upon being freed of the hood, the falcon takes 

 to the air and, following the instinctive habit of 

 its kind, rises to a good height, or ' ' pitch. ' ' While 

 the hawk is circling, the falconer approaches the 

 dog and stands ready to flush the partridge at the 

 moment the falcon gains the proper position to 

 strike at the birds. An instant later the quarry 

 go up with a whir. The falcon, singling out a 

 victim, falls like a streak of gray light from the 

 blue vault of the sky. The selected partridge 

 falters on its course, then goes down, struck dead 

 in mid-air, while the remainder of the covey vanish 

 over the brow of a neighboring hill. Turning 

 quickly, the destroyer plunges after its stricken 

 victim. 



Later in its work, when the falcon gains more 

 skill, the trainer permits it to gain a greater 

 pitch than at first before he so much as turns 

 the hunting-dogs loose in the field. The bird, 

 educated now, circles and hovers above the 

 pointers until they locate a covey. Then, if the 

 first field happens to prove barren of quarry, the 

 falcon follows the dogs on to the next without re- 

 turning to the wrist of the falconer. 



