144 AMID THE HIGH HILLS 
always strike their quarry with their feet, and 
never with anything else. The killers are those 
which ' bind to ' their quarry in the air, that is, 
pick up a bird in their feet, and never let go 
of it until they come to the ground. A really 
experienced old trained falcon does this nine 
times out of ten. 
" Sometimes, however, when stooping from a 
great height, the impetus of the falcon is so 
terrific that she seems to know if she ' binds to ' 
her quarry, the impact will be so great as nearly 
to tear her legs from her body. Thus, when 
stooping at a heavy bird like a grouse, or a pheasant, 
at great speed, the falcon slightly throws upwards 
on her impact with the quarry, and delivers a 
raking blow with her single long back talon. 
By this means (her back talon being sharp as a 
razor) I have seen a grouse ripped open from its 
tail to its neck. I have seen its wing broken and 
I have seen its head cut oif. 
" All falcons are very careful not to risk 
touching anything with their wings, hence a 
falcon will never really stoop at a bird on the 
ground with an idea of catching it, but they will 
keep stooping just over a bird they can see on the 
