Blanche (eyess female), 1885-86--44 blackbirds, 13 thrushes, 1 partridge, 2 small birds. Lady Mabel (eyess female), 1887-88--56 blackbirds, 5 thrushes, 4 water-hens, 3 partridges, 1 pheasant, 2 small birds. Faerie (eyess female), 1889-90--64 blackbirds, 3 thrushes, 4 water-hens, 1 partridge, 4 small birds. Ruby (eyess female), 1894-95--106 blackbirds, 1 partridge, 1 starling, 1 small bird. Princess (wild-caught female), 1895-96 (Nov. 11 to March 24)--39 blackbirds, 1 thrush. Of these the wild-caught Princess, though injured in the leg by a trap, was very superior in her style. Ruby at the end of the season flew very like a wild hawk. This Ruby was wonderfully fast and clever, and an excellent footer. The number of blackbirds she killed stone dead by stoops out of trees was astonishing. In size she did not exceed the average. Speaking from an experience of a great many years, and with an authority which everyone must acknowledge, Mr. Riley declares that "no sport with a female goshawk can touch that to be got with a good female sparrow-hawk." CHAPTER XIII Home Life Probably the commonest fault in young falconers of the modern school is that of keeping too many hawks. Almost every writer on the subject has warned them over and over again against this rage for being "over-hawked"; and yet it is still the cause of endless failures, disappointments, and disasters. "Don't you know, if I lose one I like to have another to fall back upon." Such is the excuse, and a very bad one it is. If a beginner can manage to keep one hawk of any kind in flying order he may consider himself exceptionally clever; and the sole charge of a cast of hawks is quite as much as any amateur ought to undertake, unless he is blessed with a great deal more leisure time than is usually the case. An experienced professional falconer, with a boy to help him, and with nothing else to occupy his time, may manage an establishment of three short-winged hawks, or about five long-winged, or one of the former and three of the latter, short-winged hawks, when in flying condition, requiring about twice as much attention as their nobler cousins. But if it is desired to keep up a larger establishment, there should be, counting in the head falconer, one man, or at least one boy, to every two hawks.