BIRDS TRAINED TO PERFORM 151 



times used to give warning of the presence of a 

 bird of prey, whicli is then lured into a net by the 

 fluttering of a tjaptive pigeon. In India hawks 

 are caught by securing a lure bird behind a net 

 stretched between two posts or trees in such a 

 manner that the hawk cannot get at the bird. 

 While attempting to seize its quarry, the hawk 

 gets tangled in the meshes and is easily taken. 



Again, small birds have been employed to entice 

 hawks within reach of a gun, but the method is 

 slow and tedious, and meets with small success. 

 Birds of prey, however, are easily brought within 

 range of the gunner by his tossing the body of a 

 crow or pigeon into the air in such a way that the 

 hawks wUl be certain to see it. This means is 

 especially effective during the early spring migra- 

 tion, when the birds move in large numbers over 

 narrow air paths. 



The writer has seen as many as a dozen hawks 

 brought to ground in this manner in one day. 

 For the best results several dead crows or pigeons 

 are necessary. When the gunner sights a hawk 

 flying in his direction, he begins to toss up the 

 bodies as high as he can, one by one, until the vic- 

 tim has seen them. Then, if the hawk happens to 

 be in a hungry mood, its wings half close and 

 down it swoops in a perfect nose-dive straight for 

 the spot where it has espied its quarry. 



By this means all kinds of hawks may be taken — 

 falcons, Cooper's hawks, and even the red-tailed 



