HAWKING. 
153 
the waist, and mounted on horseback, proceeded 
slowly in the direction from whence the Heron was 
flying; and as soon as the Heron was nearly oppo- 
site, though at a very considerable height in the air, 
they slipped the hoods from off the heads of the 
Falcons, holding them to the fist by the bit of 
leather, till they caught sight of the Heron, when 
the sport commenced in earnest. 
For the moment they were let loose, off they 
went, straight as arrows, towards the Heron, which 
by this time had gone a considerable distance ahead. 
As they were dashing away towards it, an unfortu- 
nate Crow happened to cross their course, when one 
of them instantly darted at him, hut he contrived to 
escape by striking into a plantation, where the 
Falcon followed, but did not take him. The other 
Falcon soon overtook the Heron, which began to 
prepare for the threatened attack, by disgorging its 
ballast, consisting of two or three fishes; while the 
Hawk, after flying round for a short time in circles, 
at length, soared above him, and then pouncing 
downwards, struck him on the hack, when they both 
came tumbling down together from a great height 
to the ground. The other Falcon having lost some 
time in chasing the crow, was now flying with all 
speed, to assist her companion, and was coming up 
just as the first Falcon and Heron were falling. At 
this instant, a Rook happened to fly across, when 
the disappointed Falcon struck at him, and they 
both fell together, within twenty yards of the other 
Falcon and Heron. No sooner had they reached 
the ground, than each of the Falcons began to pull 
its victim to pieces; but as soon as the falconers 
