HAWKING. 
scribe may be confined to a few fields before we have £ a kill ; ’ 
but if it be a good rideable country, a good chase across it is 
most desirable— to secure which the magpie must not be 
headed, but be allowed to make ‘ his points,’ which, like a fox, 
will be straight to his stronghold, the nearest wood or cover.” 
Of course it is very seldom that the magpie has a chance of 
“ serving out ” the hawk ; bnt that he never throws away a 
chance is proved by an anecdote related by the Rev. J. F. 
Wood, of a magpie in hi's possession. “ Mag’s cage being a 
large wicker one, affords a very good perch, and of this one of 
the hawks took advantage. Mag disapproved of the liberty, 
and showed his disapprobation in his own peculiar way. 
He got into his cage and sulked, as he generally does, 
when he chooses to consider himself insulted. Meanwhile 
the hawk sat on the top, looking stolid and uncon- 
cerned. But presently the hawk set up a tremendous 
scream, and began to flutter his wings in a way that 
showed that something was wrong. And something was 
wrong, indeed, for Mag had slily crept under the spot where 
the hawk was sitting, had seized one of his feet, had dragged 
his leg completely through the bars and was hanging on it 
spitefully. The hawk was struggling and kicking to loose 
himself from the bird’s beak, but unsuccessfully. When Mag 
at last condescended to loose his hold, the hawk went off as 
fast as he could, and doubtlessly took the lesson to heart.” 
The branch of falconry in which our forefathers appear to 
have taken the greatest delight, consisted in flying the hawks 
at herons, which is thus described by Sir J ohn Sebright 
“ A well-stocked heronry in an open country is necessary for 
this sport, and this may be seen in the greatest perfection at 
Didlington in Norfolk, the seat of Colonel Wilson. This he- 
ronry is situated on a river, with an open country on every 
side of it. The herons go out in the morning to rivers and 
ponds at very considerable distances, in search of food, and 
return to the heronry towards the evening. It is at this time 
that the falconers place themselves in the open country, down 
wind of the heronry ; so that when the herons are intercepted 
on their return home, they are obliged to fly against the wind 
to gain their place of retreat. When a heron passes, a cast of 
hawks is let go. The heron disgorges his food when he finds 
that he is pursued, and endeavours to keep above the hawks 
by rising in the air ; the hawks fly in a spiral direction to get 
above the heron, and thus the three birds often appear to be 
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