ORNITH 
 
 Sargent 
 
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CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 LABORATORY 
 
 OF ORNITHOLOGY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 Gift of 
 
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 Cornell University 
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 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022530236 
 
CORNELL UNIVERSITY 
 
 The 
 
 WILLIAM D. SARGENT 
 
 Collection 
 
 • o^ <^ift to the J^aboratory of Ornithology • 
 
JALGONRY 
 Col. E. DelmS Radcliff, 
 Author of PalGonri Q In Indifl . 
 Encyclopedia Brittanica, ninth ed. 1890, 
 
 The art of employing falcons and hawks in the chase, -- 
 a sport the practice of which is generally termed hawking. 
 Falconry was for many ages of the Old World's history one 
 of the principal sports. Probably it may be considered as 
 having been always a pure sport as it is at the present day; 
 for even in the, rudest times man must have been possessed 
 of means and appliances for the capture of wild birds and 
 beasts more effectual than the agency of hawks, notwithstand- 
 ing the high state of efficiency to which, as we may still 
 see, well trained hawks may be brought. The antiquity of 
 falconry is very great. It seems impossible to fix the 
 exact period of it's first appearance. There appears to 
 be little doubt but that ft was practiced in Asia at a very 
 remote period, for which we have the concurrent testimony 
 of various Chinese and Japanese works, some of the latter 
 being most quaintly and yet spiritedly illustrated. It 
 appears to have been known in China some 200 years before 
 Christ, and the records of king Wen Wang, who reigned over 
 a province of that country in 68 B.C., prove that the art 
 was at that time in very higji favor. In Japan it seems to 
 have been known at least 600 B.C., and probably at an equally 
 early date in India, Arabia, Persia, and Syria. Sir A. H. 
 IBtayard, as we learn from his work on Ninevah and Babylon , 
 considers that in a bas-relief found by him in the ruins of 
 Khorsabad "there appeared to be a falconer bearing a hawk 
 on his wrist," from which it would appear to have been known 
 there some 1700 years B.C.. In all the above mentioned 
 covmtries of Asia it is practiced at the present day. 
 
 Little is known of the early history of falconry in 
 Africa, but from very ancient Egyptian carvings and drawings 
 it seems to have been known there many ages ago. It was 
 probably in vogue in the cotmtries of Morocco, Oran, Algiers, 
 Tunis, and Egypt. The older writers on falconry, english 
 and continental, often mention Barbary and Tunisian falcons. 
 It is still practiced in Africa; the present writer has 
 visited two hawking establishments in Egypt. 
 
 Perhaps the oldest records of falconry in Europe are 
 supplied by the writings of Pliny, Aristotle, and Martial. 
 Although their notices of the sport are slight and somewhat 
 vague, yet they are quite sufficient to show that it was 
 practiced in their days — between the years 384 B.C. and 40 
 A.D.. It WRS probably Introduced to the continent about 
 860 A.D., and from that time down to the middle of the 17th 
 century falconry was followed with an ardor that perhaps no 
 sport in our coruatry has ever called forth, not even our 
 
-2- 
 
 grand national sport of f ox-hvint ing , Stringent laws and 
 enactments, notably in the reigns of William the Conqueror, 
 Edward 111, Henry Vlll, and Elizabeth, were passed from 
 time to time in its interest. Falcons and hawks were allotted 
 to degrees said orders of men according to rank and station — 
 for instance, to royalty the jerfalcons, to an earl the pere- 
 grine, to a yeoman the goshawk, to a priest the sparrowhawk, 
 and to a knave or servant the useless kestrel. The writings 
 of Shakespeare f\irnish ample testimony of the high and uni- 
 versal estimation in which it was held in his days. About 
 the middle of the 17th century falconry began to decline in 
 England, to revive somewhat at the Restoration. It never, 
 however, completely recovered its former favor, a variety 
 of causes operating against it, such as the enclosure of 
 waste lands, agricultxiral improvements, and the introduction 
 of firearms into the sporting field, till it fell, as a 
 national sport, almost into oblivion. Yet it has never been 
 even temporarily extinct, and it is still very successfully 
 practiced at the present day. 
 
 In Europe all the game, or "quarry" at which hawks are 
 flown consists of grouse (confined to the British Isles) 
 black game, pheasants, partridges, quails, landrails, ducks, 
 teal, woodcocks, snipes, herons, rooks, crows, gulls, magpies, 
 jays, blackbirds, thrushes, larks, hares, and rabbits. In 
 former days geese, cranes, kites, ravens, and bustards were 
 also flown at. Old German works make much mention of the 
 use of the Iceland falcon for taking the great bustard, a 
 flight scarcely alluded to by English writers. In Asia the 
 list of quarry is longer, .and in addition to all the fore- 
 going, or their Asiatic representatives, various kinds of 
 bustards, sand grouse, storks, ibises, spoonbills, pea-fowl, 
 jxmgle-fowl, kites, vultures, and gazelles are captured by 
 trained hawks. In Mongolia and Chinese Tartary, and among 
 the nomad tribes of §entral Asia, tha sport still flourishes; 
 and though some late accounts are not satisfactory either 
 to the falconer or the naturalist, yet they leave no doubt 
 but that a species of eagle i still trained in these regions 
 to take large game, as antelopes and wolves. Mr. Atkinson, 
 in his account of his travels in the country of the Amoor 
 makes particular mention of the aport, as does Mr, Shaw in 
 his work on Yorkland, smd in a letter from the -^ttrka^and "^a.^cXojnti 
 embassy under Mr. Forsyth, C.B., dated from camp near Yoirk- 
 -^nd, Nov- 27, 1873, the following passage occ\irs:- "Hawking 
 appears to be the favorite amusement, the golden eagle taking 
 the place of the falcon or hawk. This novel sport seemed - 
 very successful." It is questionable whether the bird here 
 spoken of is the golden eagle. In Africa gazelles are taken, 
 and also partridge and wildfowl. 
 
 The hawks used in England at the present time are the 
 three great northern falcons, viz., the G^f inland, Iceland, 
 ond Norway falcons, the peregrine falcon, the hobby, the 
 SrllSftL goshawk, and'^th^ sparrow hawk. Jn former days 
 ?he saker, the lanner, and the Barbary, or Tunisian falcon 
 were also employed. 
 

 
-3- 
 
 J> 
 
 Of the foregoing the easiest to keep, the most efficient 
 in the field, and the most suitable for general use at the 
 present day are the peregrine falcon and the goshawk. 
 
 In all hawks the female is larger and more powerful 
 than the male. 
 
 Hawks are divided by falconers all over the world into 
 two great classes, the first class comprises "falcons", 
 "long-winged hawks" or "hawks of the lure", distinguished 
 by eastern fa3>coners as "dark-eyed hawks.". In these the 
 wings are pointed, the second feather in the wing is the 
 longest, and the irides are dark brown. Merlins must, 
 however, be excepted; and here it would seem that the 
 eastern distinction is best, for though merlins are much 
 more falcons than they are hawks, they differ from the 
 falcons in having the third feather in the wing longest, 
 while they are certainly "dark-eyed hawks". 
 
 The second class is that of "hawks", "short -winged hawks" 
 or "hawks of the fist", called by eastern falconers "yellow- 
 (or rose)-eyed hawks". In these the wings are roimded, the 
 fourth feather is the longest in the wing, and the irides 
 are yellow, orange, or deep orange. 
 
 The following glossary of the principal terms used in 
 falconry may, with the accompanying wood-cut, assist the 
 reader in perusing this notice of the practice of the art. 
 Useless or obsolete terms are omitted; - 
 
 Bate — A hawk is said to bate when she flutters off from 
 the fist, perch, or block, whether from wildness, or for 
 exercise, or in the attempt of the chase. 
 
 Bewits — Straps of leather by which the bells are fastened 
 to a hawk's legs. 
 
 Bind — A hawk is said to "bind" when she siezes a bird in 
 the air and clings to it. Tjis term is properly only applied 
 to the seizure of a large quarry, taken at a height in the 
 air. 
 
 Block — The conical piece of wood, of theform of an Inverted 
 flower pot, used for hawks to sit uponj for the peregrine it 
 should be about 10 to 12 inches high, 5 to 6 inches in diameter 
 at the top, and 8 to 9 inches in diameter at the bottom. 
 
 Brail — A thong of soft leather used to secure, when desirable, 
 the wing of a hawk. It has a slit to admit the pinion point, 
 and the ends are tied together. 
 
 Cadge — The wooden frame on which the hawks, when niimerous, 
 are carried to the field. 
 
 Cadger- -The person who carries the cadge. 
 
-4- 
 
 ILalllng off — Luring the hawk (see lure) to the hand of an 
 assistant at a distance for training or for exercise is 
 
 Carry — A hawk is "said to "carry" when she flies away with 
 the quarry on the approach of the falconer. 
 
 Cast — Two hawks which may be used for flying together are 
 called a "cast". 
 
 Casting — The oblong or egg-shaped ball, consisting of feathers, 
 bones, stc, which all hawks (and insectivorous birds) throw 
 up after the nutritious part of their food has been digested. 
 
 Cere — The naked, wax-like skin above the beak. 
 
 Check— A hawk is said to fly at "check" when she flies at 
 a bi]?d other than the intended object of persuit, — for instance, 
 if a hawk is slipped at a heron and goes off at a rook, she 
 flies at check. 
 
 Clutching — Taking the quarry in the feet as the short -winged 
 hawks do. Falcons occasionally "clutch". 
 
 Come to - -A hawk is said to "come to" when she begins to get 
 tame. 
 
 C . oping - -Gutting trhe beak and talons of a hawk is called 
 "coping".. 
 
 Crabbing — Hawks are said to "crab" when they sieze one 
 another in fighting. 
 
 Creance--A long line or string. 
 
 Crop, to put away --A hawk is said to "put away her crop" 
 when the food passes out of the crop into the stomach, 
 
 Eeck feathers — The two center tall feathers. 
 
 Eyas — A hawk which has been brought up fron the nest is an 
 ■"eyiis", 
 
 Eyry — The nest of a hawk. 
 
 Foot — A hawk is said to "fobt" well, or to be a "good footer" 
 when she is successful in the kill. Many hawks are very 
 fine fliers without being "good footers", 
 
 g'^ounce — A disease of the mouth and throat of hawks. 
 
 Get in — To :go up to a hawk when she has killed her gharry . 
 
 is to "get in". ^'(^ftV^t \«" Vas to^^e t© rai^Ncee iV\-=. oVder ^r^X^s\^ Terrr. 
 
 Hack — The state of partial liberty in which yo-ung hawks 
 must always at first be kept — loose to fly about where they 
 
-5- 
 
 llke, but pTxnctually fed early in the morning and again 
 in the day, to keep them from seeking food for themselves 
 as long as possible. 
 
 Haggard — A wild caught hawk in the adult plumage. 
 
 Hood — The cap of leather used for the purpose of blindfolding 
 the hawk. 
 
 Hoodkhy — A hawk is said to be "hoodshy" when she is afraid 
 of,-^r resists, having her hood put on. 
 
 Imping — The process of mending broken feathers is termed 
 "imping". 
 
 I mping needle — A piece of tough soft iron wire from about 
 1^ to 2^ inches ling, rough filed so as to be three sided 
 and tapering from the middle to the ends. 
 
 Intermewed — A hawk moulted in confimement is said to be 
 "intermewed", 
 
 Jesses — Strips of light but very tough leather some 6 to 8 
 inches long, which always remain on a hawk's legs, one on 
 each leg. 
 
 Leash — A strong leather thong some 2^ Or three feet long, 
 with a knot or button at one end. 
 
 L^^T'ft — The instrument used for calling long-winged hawks, — 
 A dead pigeon, or an artificial lure made of leather and 
 feathers or wings of birds, tied to a string. 
 
 M^, n ft hflwk — To accustom a hawk to strangers. 
 
 Mantle — A hawk is said to "mantle" when she stretches out 
 a leg and a wing simultaneously, a common action of hawks 
 when at ease; also when she spreads out her wings and feathers 
 to hide any quarry or food she may have siezed from another 
 hawk or from a man. In the last case it is a fault. 
 
 Make hawk — A hawk is called a "make hawk" when, as a thoroughly 
 trained and -steady hawk, she is flown with young hawks to 
 
 l^ew — A hawk is said to mew" when she moults. The place 
 where a hawk was kept to moult was in olden times called her 
 "mew". Buildings where establishments of hawks were kept 
 were called "mews" — an appellation which in many cases they 
 have retained to this day. 
 
 Pannel — The stomach of a hawk, corresponding to the gizzard 
 of a chicken, is called her pannel. In it the casting is 
 formed. 
 
 Pggsage — The line herons take over a tract of country on 
 
-6- 
 
 their way to and from the heronry when procuring food in the 
 breeding. season Is called a '"passage", ~^e, ^^^^'j^;'^'^ sovAVuia.va 
 
 Passage hawks — are hawks captured when on their passage, or 
 migration. This "passage" takes place twice a year. In the 
 summer and In the fall. 
 
 Pelt — The dead body of any quarry the hawk has killed. 
 
 Pitch — The height to which a hawk, when waiting for game to 
 be flushed, rises In the air is called her "pitch". 
 
 Plxmie — A hawk Is said to "plume" a bird when she pulls off 
 the feathers. 
 
 Point — A hawk "makes her point" when she rises In a peculiar 
 manner over the spot in whibh the quarry has saved itself 
 from capture by dashing into a hedge, or has otherwise 
 secreted Itself. 
 
 Pull through the hood — A hawk is said to "pull through the 
 hood" when she eats with it on. 
 
 Put An — A bird is said to "put in" when it saves Itself 
 from the hawk by dashing into a covert or other place of 
 security. 
 
 Quarry — Any bird 6r beast flown at. ^ , wvvyso VoVaV^«^' aV^^ 
 
 ^fce 01^* ^ "A bird is said to "rake out" while "waiting on" 
 (see wait on) too far and wide from her master. 
 
 Red hawk — Hawks of the first year, in the young pipage 
 
 lied "red hawka"^* Vt=^w^? i-?^ ^I'^'^ Vp^row*^ " cdoir (^^v>i1a-^^t^s5a^ers^ 
 
 are ca 
 
 Ringing — A bird is said to "ring" when it rises spirally in 
 the air . 
 
 Rufter hood — An easy fitting hood, not, however, convenient 
 
 for hoodj 
 
 captured, 
 
 for hooding and unhoodingj,— used only for .hawks when .first 
 
 Seeling- -Closing the eyes by a fine thread drawn through the 
 
 lid of each eye, the threads being twisted together above 
 
 the head,— a practice long disused in England. Us^A q^c<^s\c^^\\^ >n 0.^ 
 
 Serving a hawk — Driving out quarry which has taken refuge, 
 or has "put in". 
 
 Take the air — A bird is said to "take the air" when it seems 
 to escape by trying to rise higher than the falcon. 
 
 Tiercel — The male of various falcons, particularly of the I 
 peregrine, is called a "tiercel"; the term is also applied 
 to the male of the goshawk. 
 
5«.\s»^J to ^ ^e.cvVAciXe.^ V^'^V.vv.a \\s«.x> v.>?iV AvaUi 
 
 
-7- 
 
 Trusslng — A hawk Is said to "truss" a bird when she catches 
 it in the air and comes to the ground with it in her talons; 
 this term is not applied to large quarry (see. bind), 
 
 Varvels — Small rings, generally of silver, fastened to the 
 end o^ the jesses— not much used now. N^^tx- ■ose.(i v«\ vj^s.k. 
 
 Wait on — A hawk is said to "wait on" when she flies above 
 her master, waiting till game is sprung. 
 
 Weathering — Hawks are "weathered" byl being placed unhooded 
 in the open air. This term is applied to passage hawks 
 which are not sufficiently reclaimed to be left out by them- 
 selves unhooded on the blocks, — they are "weathered" by 
 being put out for an hour or two under the falconer's eye. 
 
 Yarak— An eastern term, generally applied to short-winged 
 hawks. When a hawk is keen and in hunting condition, she 
 is said to be in "yarak". 
 
 Implements used in Falconry. 
 
 1> Hood. 
 
 2) Back view of hood, showing braces a,a,b,b;:.by drawing 
 
 the braces b,b, the hood, now open, is closed, 
 
 3) Rufter hood. 
 
 4) Imping needle. C 
 
 5) Jess, d is the space for the hawk's leg; the point ^^ and 
 
 slit a, a, are brought round the leg and passed 
 through slit b, after which point € and slit c 
 also the whole remaining length of the jess are 
 pulled. thropgh slits a and b; c is the slit to 
 
 7) Jesses, swivel and leash. 
 
 8) Portion of the first wing feather of a. tiercel peregrine 
 
 falcon in process of imping, a, the living hawk'' s 
 feather; b, piece supplied from another tiercel, 
 with imping needle, c, pushed half its length into 
 it and ready to be pushed home into -the living 
 bird's feather. 
 
■?\r ■\t\ ^ And C^i sVorr> > rr>c\i^ \-q ^s\ 
 
 .Yv QL 
 
 
 n«:>> 
 
 , \j- *,« \^^^ ^'^^^"^ m^V.'^.H^ Ho\\^x{^ V.o,S^c€_- \^\QcVaV 
 
 owe- Vv<\,vo^) 
 
-8- 
 
 FALGOHRY 
 
 The training of a hawk affords much scope for judgment, 
 experience and skill on the part of the falconer, who must 
 barefullylo^serve the temper and disposition as well as the 
 constitution of each bird; and various practices are resorted 
 to which cannot be here discribed. It is through the appetite 
 principally that hawks, like most wild animals, are tamed; 
 but to fit them for the field much patience, gentleness and 
 care must be used. Slovenly taming necessitates starving, 
 ahd low conditions and weakness are the result. The aim of 
 the falconer must be to have his hawks always keen, and the 
 appetite when they are brought into the field should be such 
 as wouli^ induce the bird in a state of nature to put forth 
 its ful^owers to, obtain food, with, as near as possible, a 
 corresponding condition of flesh. The following is an outline 
 of the process of training hawks, beginning with the management 
 of a wild-caught peregrine falcon. When first taken, a f*ufter 
 hood should be put on 'her head, and she must be furnished 
 with jesses, swivel, leash, and bell. A thick glove, or 
 rather ga\antlet, must be worn on the left hand, (eastern 
 falconers always carry a hawk on the right), and she must 
 be carried about as much as possible, late in the night, 
 every day, being constantly stroked with a bird's wing or 
 feather, very lightly at first. At night she should be tied 
 to a perch in a room with the window darkened so that no 
 light can enter in the morning. The perch should be a padded 
 pole, placed across the room at a height of about 4§ feet 
 from the ground, with a canvas screen underneath. She will 
 easily be induced to feed ih most cases by drawing a piecd 
 of beefsteak across her feet, brushing her legs at the time 
 with a wing, and now and then, as she snaps, slipping a 
 morsel into her mouth. Care must be taken to make a peculiar 
 so-und with the lips or tongue, or to use a low whistle as 
 she is in the act of swallowing; she will very soon learn 
 to associate this soiind with feeding, and it will be found 
 that directly as she hears it she will gripe with her talons 
 and bend down to feel for food. When the falconer perceives 
 this and other signs of her "coming to", that she no longer 
 starts at voice or touch, and steps quietly up from the 
 perch when the hand is placed under her feet, it will be 
 time to change her rufter hood for the ordinary hood. This 
 latter should be carefully chosen, — an easy fitting one, 
 in which the braces draw closely and yet easily and without 
 jerking. An old one previously worn is to be recommended. 
 The hawk should be taken into a very dark room, — one abso- 
 lutely dark is best, — and the change should be made, if 
 possible, in total darkness. After this she must be brought 
 to feed with her hood off; at first she must be fed every 
 day in a darkened room, a gleam of. light being admitted. 
 The first day, the hawk having sCdzed the food, and begun to 
 pull it freely, the hood must be gently slipped off and after 
 she has eaten a moderate quantity, it must be replaced as 
 slowly and gently as possible. Next day the hood may be 
 
!e.e? »* ye ft! 
 
 V^^o^v^ vs bes-t ^'^^^ \c^m\j'5 '^e*.^ , o^ V\ataV\«Y's oi««\V 
 
 
 
 
 T Vxckvt^ *JS€-d c^a.V?S o^^ Suvq>c.(\\ Cio'^^oirv -v e-QQ < 
 
 
 \' Ivy DOS ^e s'aeuV^ 
 
 J 
 
-9- 
 
 twice removed, and so onj day by day the practice stiould 
 
 be continued, and more light gradually admitted, vintil the 
 
 hawk will feed freely in broad daylight, and suffer the hood 
 
 to be taken off and replaced without opposition. Next she 
 
 must be accustomed to see and feed in the presence of strangers, 
 
 dags, etc.. A good plan is to carry her in the streets of 
 
 a town at night, at first where the gaslight is not strong 
 
 and where persons passing by are few, hooding and unheeding 
 
 her from time to time, but not letting her get frightened. 
 
 Up to this time she should be fed on lean beefsteak, with 
 
 no castings, but as soon as she is tolerably tame and submits 
 
 well to the hood, she must occasionally be fed with pigeons 
 
 and other birds. This should be done not later then 3 or 
 
 4 P.M., and when she is placed on her perch for the night 
 
 in the dark room, she must be unhooded and left so, of course 
 
 being carefully tied up. The falconer should enter the room 
 
 about 7 or 8 A.M» the next day, admitting as little light 
 
 as possible, or using a candle. He should observe if she 
 
 has thrown her casting, if so he will at once take her to 
 
 the fist giving her a bite of food and re-hood her- If the 
 
 casting is not thrown it is better for him to retire, leaving 
 
 the room quite dark, and come in again later. She must now 
 
 be taught to know the voice, — the shout that is used to call 
 
 her in the field, and to jump to the fist for food, the voice 
 
 being used every time she is fed. When she comes freely to 
 
 the fist she miust be made acquainted with the lure. Kneeling 
 
 down with the hawk on the fist, and gently unheeding her, the 
 
 falconer casts out a lure, which may be either a dead pigeon 
 
 or an artificial lure garnished with beefsteak tied to a 
 
 string, to a distance of a couple or three feet in front of 
 
 her. When she jumps down to it she should be allowed to eat 
 
 a little of it~the voice being used--the while receiving 
 
 morsels from the falconers hand; and before her meal is 
 
 finished she must be taken off to the hand, being induced 
 
 to forsake the lure for the hand by a tempting piece of meat^ 
 
 This treatment wij.1 help to check her inclination here aft er^_|'^(;X 
 
 to carry her quarry. This lesson is to be continued till '~)<tv\v^«! 
 
 the falcon feeds very boldj^y.on the lure on the ground, in J*"^^ «>-^ 
 
 the falconer's presence — till she will suffer him to walk 7o.s>^*- T 
 
 around her while feeding. All this time she will have been^^<c*«- * 
 
 held by the leash only, but the next step a strong but light ^o^ ^*^« 
 
 creance must be made fast to the leash, and an assistant o^i^eX 
 
 holding the hawk should unhood her, as the falconer, standingNH 
 
 at a distance of 5 to 10 yards, calls her by shouting and 
 
 casting out the lure. Gradually the distance is increased, 
 
 till the hawk will come 36 yards or so without hesitation; 
 
 she may then be trusted to fly the lure at liberty, and by 
 
 degrees from any distance, say 1000 yards. This accomplished 
 
 she should learn to stoop at the lure. Instead of allowing 
 
 the hawk to sieze upon it as she comes up, the falconer 
 
 should snatch the lure away and let her pass by, and immediately 
 
 put it out that she may sieze it when she turns round to _; 
 
 look for it. This should be done at first only once, and 
 
 then progressively until she will stoop backwards and forwards 
 
 at the lure, as often as desired. Next she should b© entered 
 
 

 A^vW \(^\\ou ^v^v>.V^ Q^N^t^ \^^ ^\ V<L-^^^wM,Vei WA^-Wv,^C,cv. K^ 
 
 .VL^^" 
 
 
-10- 
 
 at her quarry. Should she be intended for rooks or herons, 
 two or three of these birds should be obtained. One should 
 be given her from the hand, then one released close to her, 
 and a third at a considerable distance. If she take these 
 keenly she may be flown at a wild bird. Care must be taken, 
 however, that she have every possible advantage in her first 
 flights, — wind, weather, and the position of the quarry with 
 regard to the surrounding co-untry must be considered. 
 
 Young hawks, on being received by the falconer before 
 they can fly, must be put into a sheltered place, such as 
 an outhouse or shed. The basket or hamper should be filled 
 with straw, A hamper is best, with the lid so placed as to 
 form a platform for the young hawks to come out on and feed. 
 This should be fastened to a beam or prop a few feet from 
 the ground. The young hawks must be fed on the best fresh 
 food obtainable — good beefsteak and fresh-killed birds; the 
 falconer when feeding them should use his voice as in luring. 
 As they grow old enough they will come out and perch on the 
 roof of their shed, by degrees extending their flights to 
 neighboring buildings or trees, never failing to come at 
 feeding time to the place where they are fed. Soon they 
 will be continually on the wing, playing or fighting with 
 one another, and later the falconer will observe them chasing, 
 as pigeons and rooks, which may be passing by. As soon as 
 one fails to come in for a meal, it ihualT at once be caught 
 with a bow net or a snare the first time it comes back, or 
 it will be lost. It must be borne in mind that the longer 
 hawks can be left at hack the better they are likely to be 
 for use in the field, — those hawks always being best which 
 have preyed a few times for themselves before being caught. 
 Of course there is great risk of losing hawks when they begin 
 to prey for themselves. When a hawk is so caught she is 
 said to be "taken up" from hack. She will not require a 
 rufter hdod, but a good deal of the management described 
 for the passage falcon will be necessary. She must be care- 
 fully tamed and broken to the hood in the same manner, and 
 so taught to know the lure; but, as might be expected, very 
 much less difficulty will be experienced. As soon as the eyas 
 knows the liire sufficiently well to come sharp and straight 
 from a distance, she must be taught to "wait on". This is 
 effected by letting the hawk loose in an open space, such as 
 a down. It will be fotind that she will circle around the 
 falconer looklhg for the lure she has been accustomed to see,-- 
 perhaps moiint a little into the air, and advantage must be 
 taken of a favorable moment when the hawk is at a little 
 height, her head being turned towards the falconer],^ to let 
 go a pigeon which she can easily catch. When the hawk has 
 taken two or three pigeons this way and mounts iimnediately 
 in expectation, in short, begins to wait on, she should see 
 no more pigeons but be tried at game as soon as possible. 
 Young peregrines should be flown at grouse first in preference 
 to partridges, not only because the season commences earlier, 
 but because, grouse being livlier birds, they are not so 
 much tempted to "carry" as with partridges. 
 
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-11- 
 
 The training of the great northern falcons, as well as 
 that of merlins and hobbies, is conducted much on the above 
 principles, but the gerfalcons will seldom wait on well, and 
 merlins will not do it at all. 
 
 The training of the short-winged hawks is a simpler 
 process. They must, like falcone, be provided with jesses, 
 swivel, leash and bell. In these hawks the bell is some- 
 times fastened to the tail. Sparrowliawks can, however, 
 scarcely carry a bell big enough to be of any service. The 
 hood is seldom used for short-winged hawks, — never in the 
 field. They must be made as tame as possible by carriage 
 on the fist and the society of man, and taught to come to 
 the fist freely when required, — at first to jvmip to it in 
 a room, and then out of doors. When a goshawk comes freely 
 and without hesitation for short distances, "she ought to 
 b§ called: long di^t fences from the' hand' of ah assistant, but 
 not oftener than twice each meal, until she will come at 
 least 1000 yards'," on each occasion being rewarded with some- 
 thing that she likes very much, as a fresh-killed bird, warm. 
 When she does this freely, and endures the presence of dogs, 
 strangers, etc., a few bagged rabbits should be given her, 
 and she will be ready for the field. Some ac oust om^ the : 
 "goshawk to the use of the lure, for the purpose of taking 
 her if she will not come to the fist in the field when she 
 has taken stand in a tree after being baulked of her quarry, 
 but it ought not to be necessary to use it. 
 
 Falcons, or long-winged hawks are either "flown out of 
 the hood", i.e., unheeded and slipped when the quarry is 
 in sight, or they are made to "wait on" till the game is 
 flushed. Herons and rooks are always taken by the former 
 method. Passage hawks are generally employed for flying at 
 these birds, although we have known some good eyases quite 
 equal to the work. For heron-hawking a well stocked heronry 
 is in the first place necessary. Next an open country which 
 can be ridden over — over which herons are in the constant 
 habit of passing to and from their heronry on their fishing 
 excursions, or making their "passage". A heron found at his 
 feeding place at a brook or pond affords no sport whatever. 
 If there be i little water and peregrine falcon that will 
 go straight at him will sieze him soon after he rises. It 
 is sometimes advisable to fly a young hawk at a heron so 
 found, but it should not be repeated. If there is much 
 water the heron will neither show sport nor be captured. 
 It is quite a different affair when; he is sighted winging 
 his way at a height in the air over an open tract of country 
 free from water- Though he has no chafice whatever of competing 
 with a falcon in straight forward flight, the heron has large 
 concave wings, a very light body proportionately, and air 
 cells in his bones, and can rise with astonishing rapidity, 
 more perpendicularly, or, in other words, in smaller rings, 
 than the falcon, which he usually does almost directly as 
 she is cast off, he makes play for the upper regions. Then 
 the falcon commences to climb too to get above him, but in 
 

-12- 
 
 a very different style. She makes very large circles or 
 rings, travelling at a high rate of speed, due to her strength 
 and weight and power of flying, till she rises above the 
 heron. Then she makes her attack by stooping with great 
 force at the quarry, sometimes falling so far below it as 
 the blow is evaded that she cannot spring up to the proper 
 pitch for the next stoop, and has to make another ring to 
 regain her lost command over the heron, which is ever rising, 
 and so on, — the "field" meanwhile galloping down the wind 
 in the direction the flight is taking till she siezes the 
 heron aloft and "binds" to him, and both come down together. 
 Absurd stories have been told and pictures drawn of the 
 heron receiving the falcon on its beak in the air- It is, 
 however, well known to all practical falconers that the 
 heron has no power nor inclination to fight with a falcon 
 in the air; so long as he is flying he seeks safety solely 
 in his wings. When en the ground, however, should the falcon 
 be deficient in skill or strength, or have been mutilated by 
 theicgping of her beak and talons, as was sometimes formerly 
 done in Holland with a view to saving the heron's life, the 
 heron may use his dagg§r-like bill with dangerous effect, . 
 though it is very rare for a falcon to be injured. It is 
 never safe to fly: a" goshawk' at a heron of any description. 
 Short-winged hawks do not immediately kill their quarry as 
 falcons do, nor do they seem to know where the life lies, 
 and seldom shift their hold once taken, even to defend them- 
 selves; and they are therefore easily stabbed by a heron. 
 Rooks are flown in, the same manner as herons, but the flight 
 is generally inferior. Although rooks fly very well, they 
 seek shelter in trees as^soon as possible. 
 
 For game hawking eyases are generally used, though 
 xindoubtably passage or wild-caught hawks are to be preferred. 
 The best game hawks we have seen have beeia. passage hawks, 
 but there are difficulties attending the use of them. It 
 may perhaps be fairly said that it is easy to make all 
 passage hawks "wait on" in grand style, but tmtil they have 
 got over a season or two they are likely to be lost. Among 
 the advantages attending the use of eyases are the following: - 
 .they are easier to obtain and to train and keep; they also 
 moult better and quicker than passage hawks, while if lost 
 in the field they will often go home by themselves, or remain 
 about the spot where they were liberated,' jixperlence, and, 
 we must add, some good fortune also, are requisite to make 
 eyases good for waiting on for game. Slight mistakes on 
 the part of the falconer, false points from the dogs, or 
 bad luck in serving, will cause a young hawk to acquire bad 
 habits, such as sitting down on the gro\md, taking a stand 
 in a tree, raking out wide, skimming the ground, or lazily 
 flying about at no height. A good game hawk in proper flying 
 order goes up at once to a good pitch in the air--the higher 
 she flies the better — and always follows her master from 
 field, always ready for a stoop when the quarry is sprung. 
 Hawks that have been successfully broken and judiciously 
 worked become wonderfully clever, and soon learn to regulate 
 their flight by the movements of their master. Eyases were 
 ^nrLirt fS «aLem by the old falconers, and it is evident 
 

-13- 
 
 from their writings that these hawks have been very much 
 better iinderstood and managed in the 19th century than in 
 the middle ages. It is probable that the old falconers 
 procured their passage and wild- caught hawks with such 
 facility, having at the, same time more scope for their use 
 in the days when qT;iarry was more ab-undant, and when there 
 was more waste land than we have now, that theu did not 
 need to trouble themselves about eyases. .We here quote a 
 few lines from one of the best of the old writers, which 
 may be taken as giving a, fair account of the estimation 
 in which eyases were generally held, and from which it is 
 evident that the old falconers did not vuiderstand flying 
 hawks at hack, Simon , Lathan^ writing in 1633, says of 
 eyases:- 
 
 "They will be very easily brought to familiaritie 
 with the man, not in the house only, but also abroad, 
 hooded or unhooded; nay, many of them will be more 
 gentle and quiet when tinhooded than when hooded, 
 for if, a man do but stirre or speake in their hear- 
 ing, they will crie and bate as though they did 
 desire to see the man. Likewise Rome of them being 
 unhooded, when they, see the man will cowre and crie, <? 
 shewing thereby their exceeding fondness, and fawn- 
 ing love tbwards him..... 
 
 "These kind of, hawks be all (for the most part) 
 taken out of the nest while verie young, even in 
 the down©, from whence they are put into a close 
 house, whereas they be alwaies fed and familiarly 
 brought up by the man, untlll they be al?le to file, 
 when as the s\jmmer approaching verie suddenly 
 they are continued and brought up in the same, 
 the weather being alwaies warm and temperate; 
 thus they are still Inured to. familiaritie with 
 man, not knowing from whence besides to fetch 
 their relief or sustenance. When summer is ended 
 they bee commonly put up into a house again, or 
 else^put in a warm place, for they cannot endure 
 a cofid wind to blow upon them,.... But leaving to 
 speak of these kind of scratching hawks that I 
 never did love should come too near my fingers, 
 and to return to the f aire conditioned haggard 
 faulcon " 
 
 The author here describes with accuracy the condition 
 of unhacked eyases, which no modern falconer would trouble 
 himself to keep. Many of our falconers of this century 
 have had eyases which have killed grouse, ducks, and other 
 quari*y in a style almost equalling that of passage hawks. 
 Rooks have also been most successfully flown, and some 
 herons on passage have been taken by eyases. No sport is 
 to be had at game without hawks that wait on well. Moors, 
 downs, open country where the hedges are low and weak, are 
 best suited for game hawking. Pointers or setters may be 
 used to find the game, or a hawk may be let go on coming to 
 
-14- 
 
 the ground jwhere game is known to lie, and suffered, if 
 an experienced one, to "wait on" till game is flushed. 
 However, tiHb ^est plan with m6st hawks, young ones espe- 
 cially, is to use a dog, and to let the hawk go when the 
 dog points, and to flush the birds as soon as the hawk 
 is at her pitch. It is not hy any means necessary that 
 the hawk should be near the birds when thay rise, provided 
 that she is watching; she will come at once with a rush 
 out of the air at great speed, and either cutting one 
 down with the first stoop, or the bird will save itself 
 by putting in, when every exertion must be made, especially 
 if the hawk be young and inexperienced, to "serve" her as 
 soon as possible by driving out the bird whild she waits 
 overhead. If this be successful she is nearly certain. to 
 kill it at the second flight. Perhaps falcons are bfest for 
 grouse and tiercels for partridges. 
 
 Magpies afford much sport. Only tiercels should be 
 used for hunting magpies. A field is necessary — at the 
 very least 4 or 5 runners to beat the magpie out, and per- 
 haps the persence of a horseman is an advantage. Of course 
 in open flight a magpie would be almost immediately caugjit 
 by a tiercel peregrine, and there would be no sport, but 
 the magpie makes up for his want of power of wing by his 
 cunning and shiftiness; and he is, moreover, never to be 
 found except where he has shelter under his lee for sec\arity 
 from a passing peregrine. Once in a hedge of tree he is 
 perfectly safe from a wild falcon, but the case is otherwise 
 when the falconer approaches with his trained tiercel, per- 
 haps a cast of tiercels, waiting on in the air, with some 
 active runners in his field. Then driven from hedge to 
 hedge, from one kind of shelter to another, stooped at 
 every instant when he shows himself ever so little away 
 from cover by the watchful tiercels overhead, his egg- 
 stealing days are brought to an end by a fatal stroke, — 
 sometimes not before the field are pretty well exhausted 
 with running and shouting. The magpie always manoevers 
 toward some thick wood, from which it is the aim of the 
 field to cut him off. At first hawks must be flown in easy 
 country, but wheb they -understand their work well they will 
 kill magpies in ^very enclosed country, — with a smart active 
 field a magpie may even be pushed through a small wood. 
 Magpie hawking affords excellent exercise, not only for 
 those which run to serve the hawks, but for the hawks also; 
 they get a great deal of flying, and learn to htint in com- 
 pany with men, — any number of people may be present. Black- 
 birds (nay be hunted with tiercels in the same way. Woodcocks 
 afford capital sport where the country is tolerably open. 
 It will generally be found that after the hawk has made one 
 stoop at a woodcock, the cock will at first try to escape 
 by taking the air, and will show a very fine flight. When 
 beaten in the air it will try to get back to covert again, 
 but when once a hawk has out flown a woodcock he is pretty 
 sure to kill it. Hawks seem to persue woodcocks with great 
 keenness; something in the flight of a woodcock tempts 
 

 a.vvc^ 
 
 
 
 
-15- 
 
 them to exertion. The laziest and the most useless hawks — 
 hawks that will scarcely follow a slow pigeon — will do 
 their best to beat a woodcock and will very soon, if the 
 sport be continued, be improved in their style of flying. 
 Snipes may be killed by first class tiercels in favor ablp 
 localities. Wild ducks and teal are only to be flown at 
 when they can be fo\md in small brooks and ponds at a dis- 
 tance tance from much water, — where the fowl can be suddenly 
 flushed by dogs or men while the falcon is flying at her 
 pitch overhead. For ducks, falcons should be used; tiercels 
 will kill teal well. 
 
 The merlin is used for flying at larks, and there does 
 not seem to be any other use to which this pretty little 
 falcon can fairly be put. It is very active, but far from 
 being, as some authors have stated, the swiftest of the 
 hawks. It's flight is greatly inferior in speed and power 
 to that of the peregrine. Perhaps it's diminuitive size, 
 causing it to be soon lost to view, and a limited acquaintance 
 with the flight of the wild peregrine falcon, have led to 
 the mistake. 
 
 The hobby is far swifter than the merlin, but it 
 cannot be said to be as efficient in the field; it may be 
 trained to wait on beautifully, but it will seldom take 
 larks; it is very much given to the fault of "carrying". 
 
 The three great northern falcons are not eas^; to procure 
 in proper condition for training. They are very difficult 
 to break to the hood and to manage in the field. They are 
 flown, like the peregrine, at rooks and herons, and in 
 former days were used for kites and hares. Their style 
 of flight is magnificent; they are considerably swifter 
 than the peregrine, and are most deadly "footers". They 
 seem, however, to lack somewhat of the spirit and dash of 
 the peregrine. 
 
 For the short-winged hawks an open country is not 
 required; indeed they may be flown in a wood. Goshawks 
 are flown at hares, Rabbits, pheasants, partridges and 
 wildfowl. Only ver^trong females are able to take hares; 
 rabbits are an easy quarry for any female goshawk, and a 
 little too strong for the male. A good female goshawk may 
 kill from 10 to 15 rabbits in a day, or more. For pheasants 
 the male is to be preferred, certainly for partridges; 
 either sex will take ducks and teal, but the falconer 
 must get close to them before they are flushed, or the 
 goshawk will stand a poor chance of killing. Rabbit 
 hawking may be accomplished be ferreting, and flying the 
 hawks as the rabbits bolt, but care must be taken or the 
 hawk will kill the ferret. Where rabbits sit out on grass 
 or in turnip fields, a goshawk may be use'd with success, 
 even in a wood when the holes are not too near. For various 
 reasons it is impossible, or nearly so, to have goshawks in 
 
-16- 
 
 England in the perfection to which they are brought in 
 the East, In India, for instance, there is a far greater 
 variety of game suited to them, and wild birds are much 
 more approachable; moreover, there are advantages for 
 training which we do not possess in England. Unmolested — 
 and scarcely noticed except perhaps by others of his calling 
 or tastes — the Eastern falconer carries his hawk by day 
 and night in the crowded bazaars, till the bird becomes 
 perfectly indifferent to men, horses, dogs, carriages, 
 and, in short, becomes as tame as the domestic animals. 
 
 The management of spai*rowhawks is much the same as 
 that of goshawks, but they are far more delicate than the 
 latter. They are flown in England at blackbirds, thrushes, 
 and other small birds; good ones will take partridges well 
 till the birds get too wild and strong with the adirancing 
 season. In the East large members of quail are taken with 
 sparrowhawks . 
 
 It is of course important that hawks from which work 
 in the field is expected should be kept in the highest . 
 health, and they must be carefully fed; no bad or tainted 
 meat on any account be given them, at any rate to hawks 
 of the? species now used in England. Peregrines and the 
 great northern falcons are best kept on beefsteak, with 
 frequent change in the form of fresh-killed pigeons and 
 other birds. The smaller falcons, the merlin and the hobby, 
 require a great number of small birds to keep them in good 
 health for any length of time. Goshawks should be fed 
 like peregrines, but rats and rabbits are very good as a 
 change for them. The sparrowhawk, like the small falcons, 
 requires small birds. All hawks require castings frequently, 
 It is true that all hawks will ex4st, and often appear to 
 thrive, on good food without castings, but the: seeds of 
 probable injury to their health are being sown all the 
 time that they are so kept. If there is difficulty in 
 procuring birds, and it is more comvenient to feed the 
 hawks in beefsteak they should frequently get heads and 
 necks and wings of game and poultry. In addition to the 
 castings which they swallow, tearing these is good exercise 
 for them, and biting the bones prevents the beak from 
 over-growing. Most hawks, especially peregrines, require 
 baths. The end of a cask, sawn off to give a depth of 
 about 6 inches, makes a good bath. Peregrines which are 
 used for waiting on require a bath at least twice a week. 
 If this be neglected, they will not be long in g6ifig,f of f 
 in search of water in which to bathe, however hungry they 
 may be. 
 
 The most agreeable and the best way, where practicable, 
 of keeping hawks is to have them on blocks on the lawn. 
 Each block should stand dm a circular bed of sand — about 
 8 €eet in diameter; this will be found very convenient for 
 keeping them clean. Goshawks are generally placed on bew 
 perches, which ought not to be more than 8 or 9 inches high 
 at the highest part of the arc. It will be several months 
 
-17- 
 
 before passage or wild-caught falcons can be kept out of 
 doors; they must be fastened to a perch In a darkened room, 
 hooded, but by degrees as they get thoroughly tame they 
 may be brought to sit on the lawn. In England (especially 
 in the south) peregrines, the great northern falcons, and 
 goshawks may be kept out of doors all day and night in a 
 sheltered situation. In very wild, boisterous weather, or 
 in snow or in sharp frost, it will be advisable to move 
 them tp the shelter of a shed, the floor of which should 
 be laid with sand to a depth of three or four inches. 
 Merlins and hobbies are too tender to be kept much out of 
 doors. An eastern aspect is to be preferred, — all birds 
 enjoy the morning sun, and it is very beneficial to them. 
 The more hawks confined to blocks out of doors see of 
 persons, dogs, horses, etc., moving about the better, but 
 of course only when there is no danger of their being 
 frightened or molested, or of food being given them by 
 strangers i 
 
 ***** 
 
 The larger hawks may be kept in health and working 
 order for several years — 15 or 20 — barring accidents. The 
 writer has known peregrines, shaheens, and goshawks to 
 i*each ages between 15 and 20 years. Goshawks, however, 
 never fly well after 4 or 5 seasons, when they will no 
 longer take difficult quarry; they may be used at rabbits 
 as long as they live. Shaheens may be seen in the East 
 at an advanced age, killing wild-fowl beautifully. The 
 shaheen is a falcon of the peregrine type, which does not 
 travel, like the peregrine, all over the world. It appears 
 that jerfalcons also may be worked to a good age. Old 
 Simon Lathan tells us of these birds, — "I myself have 
 known one of them an excellent hearnor, and to continue hfer 
 goodnepse very near twentie yeeres, or full out that time," 
 
 ***** 
 
 The work jlist quoted is " Falconry in the British Isles " 
 by Salvin and Brodrick, A work to which we are very largely 
 indebted for information regarding the past history of 
 falconry and it's practice in foreign countries is SchlegeJ^' s 
 " TraitS de Fauconnerie ". This magnificent book, in the 
 words of a very able writer of the "Quarterly Review" for 
 July 1875, "is a worthy monument of the noble art it describes; 
 the exJ:ent and minuteness of the learned author? s antiquarian 
 resources are only equalled by his practical knowledge of 
 the detaiis of modern usage, and the result is such as may 
 be expected from such a combination." It contains. a very 
 large list of works on falconry in languages of all the 
 principal countries of the Old World. Other modern books 
 g^j.Q " Practip p, "! Ff^lconrv " by the Rev. G. Freeman; an excellent 
 little book, " Falconry f Its Claims, History, and Practice ", 
 by Freeman and Salvin; " Observations on Hawking " by Sir V. 
 
-18- 
 
 S. Sebright, Bart,; and a pamphlet entitled " Notes on the 
 Falconidae used in India in Falconry " by Leut. Col. Deline 
 Radcliffe. Perhaps the most useful of the old works are 
 "The booke of Faulconrie or Hawking " by George Turberville, 
 1575, and " The Faulcon* s Lure and Cure ", by Simon Latham, 
 1633. 
 
 (E. D. R.) 
 
BERT'S TREATISE OF HAWKS AND HAWKING 
 For the First Time Reprinted from the Original of 1619 
 
 THE SECCDND TREATISE 
 
 Wherein the Austrlnger is taught to reclaime 
 his Hawke from any ill-condition. 
 
 CHAP. 1. 
 How to make a Hmwk hood well, that will not abide the 
 sight of the hood, hut bite at it, and with her feet 
 steike at thy hand and hood, bait, shreik, hang bjt the 
 heels, and will not stand upon the fist; and this shall 
 be done within fortie eight hours, with less than forty 
 baits. 
 
 The greatest motive that set my thoughts a-work to find out 
 a secret, whereby a hawke should be brought to like of that which 
 she did most detestably hate, was that in my hearing, it hath been 
 often and many tomes said, by many Gentlemen, of which, some would 
 say they would give forty shillings, some would give five pounds, 
 and some other would give ten poinds that their hawk would hood 
 well. 
 
 Many experiments i tryed, wherewith I eould could have hooded 
 suehaa hawk well, which I will not publish, because they brought 
 as much ill to the hawk in some other kind, as the well-hooding 
 should profit them. At length I «'hought of feeding a hawk through 
 the hood, cutting the hole for her beak very wide, it is but the 
 marring of a hood, i would have the hole so wide, as when I did 
 hold it by the tassell, She should very easily (when it was laid 
 upon the meat) feed through it. I:"would continue feeding her so 
 three or four days, never offering in all that time to put it on. 
 But now that shee was grown familiar with the hood, all fear there- 
 of forgotten, which she would show by her by her bold feeding 
 therein, and that she should make no show of disliking my putting 
 it over the meat, and my takong it back. 
 
 When I found her thus securely feeding, and her head in the 
 hood, X would then gently and lightly raise my right hand, a very 
 small motion will serve, and so leave the hood upon her head; Take 
 heed you give her no dislike by the sudden putting it on, and by 
 the too high raising your hand in this your beginning with her; as 
 have as great care that she be throughly emboldened with the hood, 
 before you offer to put it on: with thos practice, putting on her 
 hood & pulling it off, oftentimes in her feeding, you shall effect 
 her taking the hood to your desire; firovlded always your practice 
 be with patience and liesure: for if you ahall pop it on suddenly, 
 and with haste, you may thereby put her in mind that thereby she 
 took her first offence: You cannot wrong her by any other meane; 
 remember also to leave her with the hood upon her head when she 
 is feeding. 
 
 This I did privately deliver to some of my friends, by word 
 of mouth, abo^e twenty yours since, and some did carefully follow 
 my directions, and did not fail, but broftght their hawks to such 
 perfection, as when she was most discontented, with a stump of a 
 
-2- 
 
 Treatise on Hawkiing, 11* 1( continued) 
 
 partridge wing he would readily hood her. 
 
 Others, whose patience could not endure the tfbme whilst they 
 were throughly emboldened with the hood, would ji/^>ll^^ffeed, secupeiy 
 and gently in it, would be offering to put it on; and then what t 
 through her fear, and hes hasty carrying his hand, which increased 
 her fear, brought her to that pass, that she would not feed any 
 more through the hood, but with such a eautill fear as that she 
 would not be hooded, but was then as ill as ever she was, and so 
 much worse, because he had now bobbed her woth thos trick, whereby 
 she mig,ht have been taught, 
 
 Swollen big with desire to effect thjts by some more ready & 
 easy means, which might more.speedily be done, and truly performed, 
 I had an imagination of this course, which here x will deliver, 
 by which means i brought five hawks and tarsels to as good perfection 
 as I could desire in the time of keeping my house and chamber, 
 being at that time very weak, and all of them were as much disordered 
 as hawks could be, and I delivered them as gently hooding as could 
 be desired. After they came unto me, and that I had beatowed them 
 upon the fist of one of my people, I kept them upon the fist, that 
 day they came unto me, and that night they were truly watched, after 
 the former manner of watching my hawks, both man and hawk to walk, 
 or at least the hawk to walk, bo soon as it was fair and light, I 
 did male them up in a handkeroher, (I pray you tinder stand thus 
 much, that it is not good she should be fed before she be maled) 
 making it very close about tne shoulders and body: would not 
 male up the tops of her flying feathers, le;8t I should thereby mar 
 the web of the feather; her legs they were laid along under her 
 train, but to save her train grom breaking any feather, because her 
 legs and it must be tied together, I pleat a large handkeroher six 
 times double, and lay that upon her legs \jiider her train, by which 
 means, by binding her up, you cannot bruise or crack a feather. 
 There is nothing but all safety in this course. 
 
 hawk thus maled up, I lay her upon a cushion, and carry 
 her up and down under my arm; she is now fast she cannot rebell, I 
 offer the hood, whereat although she strike, and strive to stirr, 
 she cannot: so soon as she is quiet, holding the hood by the tassel, 
 I gently put it on; she cannot forbid it: thus I follow her hooding 
 and unheeding; I lay her upon a table, 1 walk by her, i put it on, 
 and pull it off very often; and if I shall be made acquainted with 
 any thing that she cannot endure, I will then present her with that: 
 Say she will not abide the fire, or not the b3iOwing or stirring 
 thereof; I Walk up and down before the fire, which she snould hear 
 blown, and see it stirred and rattled together, she cannot bate nor 
 hurt herself; and when she shall patiently lie still, and find that 
 it doth not hurt her, she will be the less afraid thereof, & in all 
 this time I lose nothJAg about my ^other practice: It may be she is 
 coy and fearful of the dogs, „ I layAupon the ground with her cushion, 
 whfre she shall for that time have familiarity enough with them: 
 lying so, walking by her, I ply her with the hood, and so I continue 
 •until night: When ni^ht cometh I unmale her; i have had a hawk thus 
 maled, that in a winters day she hath not made a mute; admit she 
 doth mute, it is great odds she shall, she fouleth none but a few 
 of her small feathers about her teweil, which are presently washed 
 with a sponge without any hurt. 
 
-3- 
 
 Treatise on Hawking, II, 1( continued) 
 
 When she is now vmnialed, and sltteth upon my fist, she will 
 take the hood by candle-light, as well as she did when she was 
 maled, which it may be she would do before she came unto me, for 
 many hawks will hood by candle-light that will not abide the sight 
 of it in the day. 
 
 But for your better instruction, it must be with holding it 
 gently to her beak, which she must be as willing to put into the 
 hood, as you are to put it on, I pray you let your own reason 
 guide you thus far; hastiness to hood her, when she would not be 
 hooded, brought her to this imperfection; therefore keep you as far 
 from that as may be, find In this practice to do it with as much 
 leisure as may be. It is raot to be believed how the least hasty 
 motion will put her in mind of what she hath formerly met with. I 
 watched her this night with the often using the hood, and whether 
 X did sit still of walk, I would be sure she should not be idle; 
 believe it, all this night she will take the hood as well as you 
 can desire, but the question is for the morning: Therefore I would 
 be without fall walking abroad in the morning before day, and then 
 and there follow my practice, wheh it may be I shall not find him 
 contrary my desire: As I feed often in the night, so now I fail not, 
 lest hunger should make him stir, if he be not coy of the hood,aat 
 or a little before the sun riseth, if they be carefully handled they 
 are forever made well hooding. I never had any but one tarsel, 
 but with the night and day before, were made very gentle to the 
 hood, only that one tarsel I was driven to male up again the second 
 day; I muit let none of them all have their full rest that night; 
 but when they are thus made, they must be allowed, for fear they 
 fall again: Be sure to be abroad early in the morning, following 
 her with the hood; I hope this is sensibly to be effected by any :& 
 man; But if my hawk turn her head from the hood, I patiently attend 
 her patience, holding my hood to her head, and with turning my 
 hand set her right and fit to take it; but if she will be wild or 
 angry, she cannot understand me. 
 
 He that will use violence with a horse already distempered, 
 and with spur or chein add fury to fury, may perhaps at that time 
 be deceived of his expectation: So, he that shall deal with a man 
 in the time of his impatience, may peradventure at that time want 
 bf a reasonable hegrlng; but glVe the man time until that humor br 
 spent, and so thy horse, and hawl, and they will all mildly attend 
 thee. 
 
 If your hawk be distempered, and you know no reason why, use 
 her not otherwise but with a loving respect, and as soon as may be 
 make a peaceable love and reconcilAment between you; there is no 
 indifferent hooding to be looked for by this manner of using her, 
 for She must do it well in the highest degree. Hereof i conclude, 
 and so I proceed to the recovery of all other ill conditions. And 
 first for a hawk that will royle and house. 
 
BERT^ S TREATISE OF HAWKS AND HAWKING 
 For the First Time Reprinted from the Original of 1619 
 
 THE SECOND TREATISE 
 
 Wherein the Austringer is taught to reclaim 
 his hawk from any ill-condition. 
 
 CHAP. 111. 
 How to stay that hawk that having killed a partridge, 
 will very unwillingly suffer her keeper to come unto 
 . her, but will carry it. 
 
 He was an'unkind keeper, and handled his hawk very ill, so 
 to get her hatred, from whom but through love he eould not hope to 
 receive any good; otherwise he was very unskilfull, to fly his 
 hawk so wild and so ill manned; for one of these must be the cause, 
 then by working the contrary in her, she is faultless and will fly 
 the better: If she will come well, then it is not merely out of 
 dislike of her keeper; and so much the sooner brought to good per- 
 fection: But it may be partly so, and partly wlldness and ramishness, 
 and there may be a third dislike, which stronglier posesses her 
 than any of the other, which presently shall be delivered lonto you. 
 before a hawk be truly manned and made gentle, she will never learn 
 good, or leave bad conditions; for so long as she is wild, ^he is 
 altogether angry, frowaed, unruly, and disorderly, therefore be 
 sure to use such patience and gentleness, as that she may understand 
 thee: then put her in cranes, and set her upon some mans fist; 
 have a dead d6veoor some other fowl, it matters not although you 
 stand about twenty or thirty paces from her, giving your voice 
 as though you would call her, throw the fowl as far from you as you 
 can, which when she hath in. her foot and doth offer to carry, which 
 the cranes forbid, then know, that it is not wlldness or ramishness, 
 for before this with carriage in company thouhadst made her gentle, 
 neither can it be that she feareth thee, for thou hast labored be- 
 fore this to a better purpose; if you have not, I have set down my 
 directions in vain: If then you have so carefully manned her, as 
 that she neither fears you, nor is in fear of any man else; yet it 
 is fear that causeth this, not fearing thee, but she feareth the 
 quarry shall be taken from her by thee, and she would be glad to 
 give herself a better reward thereupon than you will allow of, and 
 the small rewards you have given her, when you have taken her from 
 the quarry hath bred this fault; but this fault showeth the hawk 
 hath mettle and spirit enough. Well now that' she is upon the catch, 
 and so long as she stands still, fearing she know not what, stand 
 you still, not offering to go nearer than you are, until she fall to 
 be busily pluming, holding the cranes fast, and continually giving 
 her your voice: When she falls to plume, walk gently to her, still 
 giving her your voice; and whereas her fear was the quarry should 
 be taken from her, let her find altogether the contrary, let her 
 enjoy itl and take this course, whereby you shall soon win her favor, 
 that at: any other time she will not only give you leave, but lovingly 
 expect your coming to her, have in readiness her supper or break- 
 fast, or at any or every time of the day such meat as is warm and 
 good, (her taste is very good, although it cannot compare with her 
 sight) feed her therewith by little bits out of your hand. Xf - sh® 
 look at you for more, forbearing to give any more until she fall 
 again to plume, then give her your voice, and feed her again. If 
 
-2- 
 Treatise on Hawking, II, 111( continued) 
 
 you will do thus, you shall find her look as earnestly at your 
 hand for reward, as a hungry spaniel will liik for crust, and 
 she will be so pleased with your voice, as when she hath a partridge 
 in her foot, she will diligently attend and stay your coming, when 
 I think hereby you are wfell taught how to use her: And now for this 
 fault I may conclude, and inquire what other fault may disCgrace a 
 hawk: She will carry it to a tree. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 To reclaim a Hawk that will carry a Partridge 
 into a Tree. 
 
 It is so lately set down how to stay a hawk, and make her 
 lovingly expect your coming tmto her, as it is fresh in the memory. 
 Your hawk teeing brought to that pass, this fault will soon be left, 
 I have approved it: So soon as your hawk is gone into the tree, get 
 all the company to go under her, using as fearful noise as they can, 
 showing hats and gloves, which will soon make her remove, but it 
 may be to another tree, follow her again with the like noise, there 
 is no doubt but it will remove her, if not, they must use some more 
 violent means, as striking the tree with sticks, or throwing cud- 
 gels up, she may peradventure remove twice or thrice before she 
 6ome to the groTind, but so soom as she is come to the ground, where- 
 of you shall not have So great ca4se of joy, but she will joy more 
 to hear yo\ir loving voice, which I would then have you freely and 
 familiarly give, when she will soon understand she shall enjoy 
 what she hath with sweet content and quiet.