334 FALCONRY 



same way as rabbits, to which they should be at first entered. 

 The next attempt must be at a leveret, found in a good place, 

 and if it be taken, an old hare may be attempted ; but a hawk 

 must be kept entirely to hares, for one that is frequently; used 

 for taking rabbits will soon learn to refuse the more powerful 

 quarry. 



A good hawk will always get her quarry fast by the head, 

 when ■ it is almost powerless in her grip, which is tremendous. 

 We have often seen a goshawk with one foot over the head of 

 a rabbit, plant the other across his loins and, almost before we 

 could stoop down to kill poor bunny, he has turned over dead, 

 killed almost instantaneously by the simple grip of the hawk's 

 terrible feet. A very stout glove must be worn when carrying 

 a goshawk, or the hand will not only be injured, but the whole 

 arm numbed by the pressure of her claws. 

 Jf The male goshawk is very much quicker than the female, 

 •■md will take pheasants well. Young partridges, too, he can 

 take, but old ones will generally outfly all but the best. Few 

 male goshawkg can take rabbits regularly ; they too often fail to 

 hold them, and so get disappointed. Waterhens and coots, when 

 they can be driven from the water, may be killed to a certainty. 

 Wild ducks or teal, if they can be stalked, will be taken as they 

 rise ; but if once on the wing the goshawk has no chance with 

 them. Grouse, where they lie well, have been caught in this way. 

 In fact, a goshawk in really good 'yarak,' or flying condition, can 

 be used like a fowling-piece— he will dash at and kill almost 

 anything that rises within reach of him, provided he can overtake 

 it within a certain limited range. Thus, in the list of ' various ' ' 

 quarry that have been killed by one goshawk, now in training, 

 we find (besides her legitimate quarry of rabbits and hares) 

 pheasants, partridges, wild duck, rats, squirrels, waterhens, stoats, 

 blackbirds, &c. Of actual performances on the part of a male 

 goshawk in recent years, we are informed by Mr. Riley, of 

 Putley Court, Herefordshire — a gentleman who has been 

 markedly successful with short-winged hawks in a county well 

 suited to their capabilities — that he took with his male goshawk 



