ROOK HAWKING 



301 



she is, is almost that of a bullet. So thinks her quarry apparently, 

 for, shutting his wings, he tries to drop like a stone into a clump of 

 trees now nearly beneath Tiim. Swiftly as he drops there is a swifter 

 behind him, and down from that terrific height comes the falcon 

 like a thunderbolt. Lord ! what a stoop ! By the powers, she 

 has missed ! And now surely he must escape. But no ! shooting 



Falcon flying rook 



upwards like a rocket, the old falcon puts in one more straight swift 

 stoop, and the rook is taken just as he enters the sanctuary which 

 he has had his eyes on from the first. Whoo-who-op ! A grand 

 ring ! a magnificent stoop ! a splendid flight ! — Bravo, ' Bois-le-duc ! ' 



All flights are not of course so long or so good as this one, 

 but generally afford some sport. As many as nine and ten 



