66 ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING 



"kill"; and Jubilee was left out for a good eight days more, 

 and might probably have been left a few longer. Hack hawks 

 know no sentimental scruples about taking their prey on the 

 ground. Here is another extract from a hawk diary: "6.30 

 a.m., out and fed hack hawks on lure. ' She ' not visible. At 

 7 saw her on wire fence, half-way across park. As I got near 

 with lure she started, and, flying low over the ground away 

 from me, turned suddenly, and dropped on some bird in the 

 grass. Was pluming it, when heifers came right up to her. 

 Then lifted, and carried into the lower belt. Quarry looked 

 like a missel-thrush." The same day " She " was taken up. It 

 is a risky thing to leave hawks out after they have once begun 

 serious and successful chasing. Yet it is a thousand pities to 

 take them up too soon, just when they are improving most 

 rapidly. Peregrines may be left out, with heavy hack-bells, for 

 four weeks or occasionally more. Merlins seldom more than 

 three weeks. If the hack place and its neighbourhood are very 

 open, and the wild birds about are few, there is less danger, and 

 less need for hurry. But when the trees and bushes are well 

 stocked with wood-pigeons, thrushes, and small birds, beware. 



It is now that the advantage will be seen of putting dis- 

 tinctive jesses on the hawks. The trainer must watch the board 

 carefully. He may not be able to get within 80 yards of it. 

 But from his hiding-place, be it far or near, he must tell over the 

 number of his charges every morning, noon, and evening, so as 

 to see that all have been down. A field-glass may be necessary 

 to identify each visitant. Brown-jess may come down at 6 a.m., 

 take a light breakfast, and be off. White-jess may not ap- 

 pear till 1 2 ; and even then no signs of Black-jess. The case 

 begins to look serious. But at 12.50 at last a hawk comes 

 down. Is this the truant? Or is it Brown-jess again, with her 

 luncheon appetite come on? The glass will tell you quickly 

 if the colour of the jesses worn corresponds to the one name 

 or the other. But if both hawks wore the same coloured jesses, 

 you could not say. If the last comer is Black-jess — only de- 

 layed till so late by mere want of appetite — she may be left out, 

 perhaps for some days longer. And the extra days' exercise 

 will undoubtedly make her a faster and stronger hawk. But if 

 you cannot tell one hawk from another, it will be impossible for 

 you to know when one has missed two successive meals or not. 

 If Black-jess absents herself all day until the evening repast, 

 the inference is strong that in the morning she killed something 

 for herself. If she keeps away for a whole day, that conclusion 

 becomes almost a certainty. She must be taken up when the 



