304 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
with great patience and perseverance for the ap- 
pearance of its prey. Its haunts are the extensive 
meadows and marshes which occur along our rivers. 
There it pounces with a rapid motion on the frogs, 
which it either devours on the spot or carries to the 
perch or the top of the haystack on which it previ- 
ously stood. The cry of the winter hawk is clear 
and prolonged, and resembles the syllables 1cay-o.’ 
“ This hawk,” continued Miss Harson, “ is said to 
possess the traits of the true falcon, that in old times 
played so prominent a part in the hunting-excursions 
of kings and nobles, and was taught to catch game 
for its owners. The custom of carrying a hawk on 
the wrist w T as confined to men of high distinction, 
and it was a saying among the Welsh, ‘You may 
know a gentleman by his hawk, horse, and grey- 
hound/ I have a story here of a falcon that be- 
longed to a king of Persia, which I think you will 
not object to hear.” 
The children laughed at the idea of their “ object- 
ing,” and settled themselves for the narrative with 
an air of great enjoyment. 
“ ‘ Once upon a time a king of Persia went out 
hawking, carrying his favorite falcon on his wrist. 
A deer started up, and the king let fly his bird, 
which pursued the deer and brought it to the ground. 
The king, being eager in the chase, outstripped all 
