42 
FALCONIM. 
come -up with her, but even then, on disengaging the captive, it 
proved so little the worse, as to afford a flight of average length 
to another falcon. The stroke of this hawk is more fatal than 
its clutch. Land-rails, as well as woodcocks, in consequence 
of being seized merely by the wing, have occasionally been carried 
a considerable way by these birds without injury. 
Mr. Sinclaire, when once on a visit at Bedhall, county of 
Antrim, after having spent a week there with his hawks and gun, 
gave up a day specially to this sport, which the neighbouring 
gentry were invited to witness. The host, on going to have a 
view of the hawks in the morning, found, to his great chagrin, 
that they were missing. The falconer had given them liberty for 
an airing, and it was feared that the intended sport was hopeless. 
It was afterwards discovered, that, at this very time, the hawks 
were at their home at the Tails, nearly twenty miles distant, 
whither they flew on being let off,* but finding no food on 
the lure there, they retraced their way, and were both back at 
Bedhall, in time for the chase of the first woodcock that was 
sprung after breakfast. Their presence was then made known by a 
“ chevy ” that one of them gave the woodcock, which it killed 
within a few yards of the spot where the ladies were assembled in 
their carriages to see the flight. The second hawk gave evidence 
of its presence, by joining the other in pursuit of the next bird 
that was raised. Six or seven woodcocks were killed by them 
on that day. My friend's hawks never, in any other instance, 
flew so far, and returned immediately to him; but they have 
frequently, from a distance of five or six miles, flown home, and 
finding no food there, returned to him without delay. 
A woodcock, pursued by a falcon at Bedhall, was not only 
killed, but split open at the breast, by the force with which it 
accidentally struck against the top of a wall. To the hawks 
themselves, casualties during the chase have twice occurred. 
* Upon one of the early days of February, 1837, when this gentleman was hawk- 
ing at some miles distance from his place, one of his falcons was lost in consequence 
of a heavy fog coming on, hut she re-appeared in the hawk-yard a week afterwards ; 
others of them have similarly returned after a much longer absence. The first flight 
of a falcon, given by Mr. Sinclaire to a gentleman resident about four miles off, was 
to her old quarters, from which she had been taken six months before. 
