HAWKING. 
157 
their young, and the latter were full grown, two 
posts were stuck into the ground, at a little distance 
from each other; to the one was tied a Partridge or 
a Pigeon, by a small line, two or three yards long, 
that they might have room to flutter about, and 
attract, by their motion, the eye of the Falcon; to 
the leg of the Partridge or Pigeon, they tied another 
string, in length about a hundred yards, which ran 
through a hole in the other post, in order to draw 
the bait to that post, where a net, like a fishing-net, 
was fixed, with a hoop in a semicircle of six feet in 
diameter. This being pulled down, it went oyer and 
covered the post, for which purpose there was another 
string fastened to the upper part of the hoop, which 
went through the first post, to which the bait was 
tied. These tv r o strings the Falcon-catcher held in 
his hand, that he might pull the bait when he pleased, 
and at the proper moment draw the net over his 
prize. These nets w r ere fixed in the neighbourhood 
of some nest, or in situations known to be frequented 
by Falcons. As soon as one of them happened to 
notice the lure fluttering on the ground, after taking 
a few sweeps in the air, just over the spot, as if to 
discover any hidden danger, he pounced down with 
such violence and certainty, that the bait's head was 
taken off, as clean as if with a knife. The moment he 
had thus despatched his supposed prey he generally 
flew up again, unless very hungry, to be reassured 
that there w r as no danger near. Availing himself of 
this pause, the Falcon-catcher pulled the string and 
dead bait to the other post, close under the net, 
which the Falcon observing, on again pouncing down 
the other string was pulled, when the net fell over 
