E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Quarry.
Prey. This is a term in falconry. When a hawk struck the object of pursuit and clung to it, she was said to “bind;” but when she flew off with it, she was said to “carry.” The “carry” or “quarry,” therefore, means the prey carried off by the hawk. It is an error to derive this word from the Latin quœro (to seek).
