THE LURE OF THE FALCON

Summer is a pleasant, modest sort who is keen on animals, and this is his tribute to creatures which diverted him in childhood and youth -- principally Cressida, a falcon, a darling of the regiment -- and various Germans, Italians and others when Summer was a P.O.W. in World War II. Cressida, a kestrel, was discovered on English dunes shortly before the war. Her wing mended and eating heartily, Cressida went to Tunisia where she calmly observed machine gun fire from a blasted boulder. When taken prisoner, Summer took Cressida along where she fascinated the captors -- one German Major arrived at Summer's hospital bed with a gift of mice for the bird. After moves from camp to camp and two abortive escapes, Summer and Cressida finally arrived home. A genial Old Boy's tale and a tribute to a feisty bird which ""boosted [Summer] up in times of worry, fear and despair."" Not a high pitch but tree and easy wheeling.