264 
FRANK FORESTER'S FIELD SPORTS. 
obstacle, into account, to admit of the pursuit of the Falcon 
through the upper air by the mounted Falconer on earth beneath. 
The prairies of the West are, however, of all regions on the 
whole face of the globe, that most adapted to the sport; which, 
had it been known in the days of Tristram and Launcelot de 
Lac, would have been termed “ the mystery of prairies,” rather 
than “ the mystery of rivers.” 
Many of the best varieties of Falcon, and those most suitable 
for training, are natives of America; and I doubt not that some 
of the varieties so peculiar to this country would be found as 
fleet on the wing, as daring in the grapple, and as obedient to 
the call, as the best European species—and I say this not with¬ 
out some foundation, having observed narrowly their flight and 
stoop. The three most famous Hawks for *the “ mews” of old, 
and to the present day, are the Ger F alcon, Falco Islandicus ; the 
Peregrine Falcon, Falco Peregrinus ; and the Gosshawk Hawk, 
Astur Palumbarius; all these are found on this continent— 
the first breeding in Labrador, and the other two generally, 
though rarely, through the States. 
I have no doubt in my own mind that the powers of the 
Cooper’s Hawk, Astur Cooperii, and the Sharp-shinned Hawk, 
Astur fuscus , peculiar and indigenous natives of the United States 
in general, are equal if not superior to those of any Falcon that 
ever flew at fur or feather. 
That any of these gallant birds might be trained here is cer¬ 
tain; whether they ever will be, depends, I fancy, on the 
solution of this question, whether great wealth, accompanied 
with indolent, or, at least, unoccupied leisure, and highly re¬ 
fined civilization, be extended into our remotest Western dis¬ 
tricts previous to the extinction of game therein or no. That 
question as yet is not to be solved. 
At present there is probably less love of sporting, for sport¬ 
ing s sake, in the West than in any other region of the States, 
owing to the great abundance of game, and to the habit of 
regarding what is elsewhere looked on as a rare beast or bird 
of chase, as an ordinary and every-day animal, and a not dear 
