PRACTICAL FALCONRY; HOW I BECAME A FALCONER by HELLENIC HORSEBACK ARCHERY SOCIETY

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PRACTICAL

A L C N ETY.

PRACTICAL FALCONRY: TO WHICH

HOW

ADDED,

BECAME A FALCONER.

GAGE EAELE FEBEMAN,

M.A.

("Peregbine" op "The Field").

LONDON PUBLISHED BY HORACE COX, 1869.

346,

STRAND, W.C.

LONDON PEIXTED BY HOKACB COX, 346, STRAND, W.C.

TWO OP

HIS FRIENDS,

WILLIAM BEODRICK,

ESQ.,

OP LITTLE HILL, CHTJDLEIGH, DEVON, TO WHOSE KINDNESS HE WAS LONG AGO INDEBTED FOR INSTRUCTIONS IN

THE ART OF FALCONRY,

AND TO

PHILIP

BROCKLEHURST,

ESQ.,

OP SWTTHAMLET PARK, STAFFORDSHIRE, WHO GAVE

HIBI

THE OPPORTUNITY OF PRACTISING

ON HEATHER,

THIS BOOK IS

DEDICATED, WITH GRATITUDE AND REGARDS, Br

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS. PEACTIOAL FALCONRY. CHAPTER

V a9 e

Preliminaries

CHAPTER

II.

—

HOW

BECAME A FALOONEK. CHAPTER

Sparrowhawks, Merlins

Experiences with Kestrels,

First

Early Notes

flying

the

Merlin

— My

CHAPTEE

—Hawks

Sport

fly

old

Enthupage

siasm

frightening

at Grouse

II.

Game from

the

—Black Cloud CHAPTEE

Land

—Permission 61

III.

—The Princess—Islay—Nearly blinded—An Appeal to

Storm Cloud

the Generosity of Sportsmen

CHAPTEE Some

trifling

IV.

Anecdotes

CHAPTEE Is chiefly

on the Goshawk

V. 81

PRACTICAL FALCONRY. CHAPTER

PRELIMINARIES. When,

at the end of

May last,

I said "

Good-bye " to Falconry as

a writer on the subject, I was not prepared for the demand which

was afterwards made ever, induced

and

for

a practical

now offer my readers in a volume

what I

That demand, how-

treatise.

to appear again, for "positively the last time

them

lately offered

of "

;

The Field Library

in the paper itself,

some few, but I trust

thoroughly practical, chapters on the Art of Falconry.

make no further

preface, for

my object is to keep

entirely to the

subject before me, beginning at the beginning, placing myself as

much

as possible in the position of a person

falconry,

desired

Let

and trying

many years ago

readers as I

to obtain for myself.

suppose, in the

first place,

he should

floating feeling that

who knows nothing

to present such a treatise to

that a

man has some

like to see the falconry

sort of

which he has

read of in the "Waverley Novels," in some old book of British sports, or has heard

some

of, for

this country.

years, as being really

Let me suppose, further, that he

now

carried out in

inclined to take

the matter himself.

will

ask

get

them

want a tntor

are, "

will

What

;

and the

sort of

first

qaestions probably which he

hawks should

I have,

and where can

—What

answer

do you care to go to

the character of your country ?

—have you

manor

of your

—what expense

own

;

or, if not,

PBAOTICAL FALCONBY.

have you friends who will give you pretty frequent permission

Because the kind of country, the depth of pocket, the courtesy of friends, are all very necessary elements in this as in

many

qther

sports.

If you are

strive to

hawking game, and

for

engage a professional falconer ; but take care that to jrame-hawking.

you are a poor man,

hawk game, and haying some opportunity

know some good

and also

;

which

it,

man accustomed

intending to

thing

and have opportunities

rich,

wish to hawk

—

falconer,

may venture

are, honestly, the result of

who

will really

to say so

—read these chapters,

long experience.

I need hardly speak of the charaoter of oountry to for

of doing so,

show you the

a rich man,

he can most likely command countries of different character

hut the

man who can

only

hawk

;

here or there will certainly want

to know, at any rate, what birds not to keep.

Let us suppose that he has no game there

Not the goshawk then

pigeons, larks.

and merlin.

Does he

the peregrine.

live

and, should he oare to

This sort of

is just

;

his

hawks are the peregrine

near moors on which he can

fly

hawk P

Still

The peregrine

the bird for a very inclosed country;

the sparrowhawk, he

may add that.

a rough and general answer to the question, " What

hawks » man ought to have ? "

second point

rabbits even

fairly-open partridge ground

But the goshawk

still.

—but that

—no

an open common near him affording rooks, magpies,

How

And now we come

to the

he to prooure them ?"

to the peregrine, I can only say generally that the species breed

on high and dangerous rocks, both by the sea and inland ; and that

young birds are obtained by

falconers, very frequently

land, either from a personal friend or through

John

heath, Suffolk, or Bobert Barr, Brandon, Suffolk.

matter to procure

goshawks

;

but

they

may

from Scot-

Pells, of

Laken-

It is a difficult

occasionally

got from one of the professional falooners, or from the Regent's

;

PBACTICAL FA1C0NBY.

As a

Park Gardens.

rule they are imported either from France

or Germany.

They build on the ground, but

Merlins are found on the moors.

Mr. Pape, of Newcastle- on-Tyne,

are not often offered for sale.

sometimes gets them for his customers.

Sparrowhawks are

manor

The gamekeeper

easily procured.

of a

wooded

almost sure to be able to help the falconer.

Hobbies are so rare that it is hardly worth while to mention them but,

procured, they should be treated like merlins.

The

jer-falcons can be obtained

from Iceland, Greenland, or

Norway, by sending over a falconer to catch them. Peregrines are worth about 30s. each as soon as they are taken

from the nest, falcons being rather more valuable than

tiercels.

Goshawks, untrained, cost about £i each, the females being the

valuable.

leave the nest.

Merlins Bhould not exceed

say half-a-crown each.

and beauty,

rarity

6s.

Sparrowhawks cost what you

each when they

7s.

like to give for

can mention no price for them.

guage of shopkeepers, they are " fancy

articles

In the lan-

" altogether.

Trained hawks vary in price in proportion to their merits. rate grouse-hawk

is,

in my opinion, worth ten guineas

only to pigeons, £5.

am speaking

them,

for hobbies, valuable chiefly for their

;

A first-

a bird entered

of the peregrine in both these

cases.

Another question which the beginner

—

comprehensive question I fasten

must

them up by the

is,

will

Where am

legs, or

—and

ask

I to

keep

it is

rather a

my hawks musb ;

put them in a large room, or what

do ?" There are other questions equally important

—coming

—such as, " What do you mean by jesses,

in a measure from the last

hoods, swivels, leashes, blocks, perches, and so on

what arc hawks meal

What

to be fed is

;

meant by

write about so glibly,

how much all

Again, "

should they have at one

these terms which you falconers

waiting on,' and such like

b 2

PKACTICAL FALCONBY.

be found that I shall answer

It will

little treatise,

and most

them

all

these questions in this

in this chapter.

In bad weather and during winter nights hawks should be under

Fastened to blocks as they

cover.

not injure them at

finement.

shed

and weather which would

at liberty

might destroy them in con-

best,

there

proper that

it is

the

made where

is easily

and

when

all

they have no means of

exercise,

warm by

getting their blood

are,

and usual arrangement.

a long wall to

should face the morning sun.

serve as a back line of

thick, low shrubs, planted in front, will in some degree keep

The ground under the shed should be

the wind.

sand, and good straw

touching

it,

peregrine

an unused sand

;

when she

of eight feet square

bates.

Straw

Every

—mine have even room but

the shed undoubtedly takes up a great deal of

loft will do.

off

deep in

must be placed round each block, but not

so as to protect the bird's wings

must have a space

more—thus

sir inches

;

necessary on boards as well as on

and sand must be placed on boards immediately round the

Hawks may

blocks.

and in

this

be kept in pitch darkness on a horizontal pole,

way they are often placed very near together but I should ;

never think of adopting the plan myself, except in a case of emer-

In fine weather they are put out on the lawn.

gency.

Peregrines and merlins are generally kept on blocks

;

goshawks

and sparrowhawks on bow-perches.

The

peregrine's block

with the top cut

a piece of wood the shape of a sugarloaf

It is about twelve or fourteen inohes in

off.

and has a spike at the

height,

base, which keeps it firm in the

—a most important matter when blocks are placed near each

ground

other on a lawn, or

when they

are under the shed, because the birds

would make sad work with their neighbours, if their legs got fastened to eaoh other's leashes

;

and they would injure their plumage

eould drag a block from

its

selves too near the walls.

plaoe in the shed,

The points

they

and so bring them-

of their wings

when they

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

bate must not touch anything but the straw or grass, certainly not

the sides of a shed. holes

must

any time placed in a loft,

If the blocks are at

of course be

made through the boards

for the admission

of the spikes.

blocks are formed of two pieces of wood neatly joined, in

order to

make

possible to have a large ring running in a groove

round the base, on which moves a smaller

But an ordinary

is fastened.

ring,

and to that the leash

staple driven into the side of the

block will do.

—upon which a peregrine may be placed —is simply a tough bough or sapling, bent to something

The goshawk's bow-perch necessary

like half

circle,

and having a large ring running on

A piece of wire should keep

leash to be fastened to. of

it in

for the

the form

a bow, leaving, however, plenty of length at the points, so that

may be made very

they

Should an aecident

fast in the ground.

happen, and one end eome out, the wire will save the escape of the bird.

may be used under

considerable room.

then obviously requires

A partition, too, must

screen the sight of an

a shed, but

immediate neighbour from the observation of a goshawk.

A hawk has

Take a narrow

jesse

on each

leg.

Jesses are

strip of moderately stout,

six or seven inches in length, cut it

made

in this

way

but not harsh, leather,

from a

point,

till

(getting

broader) at less than an inch from the point you have the breadth of not half an inch of jesse.

Keep that breadth

for

an inch or more,

then gradually narrow to less than the third of an inch get pretty near the other end, widen a

that no fellow can understand." knife,

and a board and

from the slit

point,

try.

two

at the other end of the jesse.

slits,

and, putting

Still,

Why,

;

bird.

slit

but, as

you

" that's a thing

I would take leather, a

At the broader end make a

make another

Get someone to hold the

little.

slit

not far

an inch from that, and a third

Grease the jesse.

Take the end of the

round the hawk's

leg,

jesse that has

pass the point

—

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

through the second

this

and the other end

slit,

Draw tight. The

first.

arrangement ;

it is

slit

only

of the jesse

through the

at the other end has nothing to do with

made that the jesse may be fastened

the swivel.

The swwel will

—as also his

first jesses, if

be procured from Mr.

one loop of the figure

Draw tight,

jesse.

the young falconer is wise

Pass the end of the jesse through

Pells.

and the other loop through the

slit

in the

so that the jesse binds only one loop, and does not

interfere with the turning of the swivel.

The piece,

leash is a strip of whit or other stout leather, formed of one

and yet having a button at one end.

It is passed

vacant loop of the swivel, and the thin end

through the

attached to the staple

or ring of the block.

Hoods are made on blocks, and I have made them myself ; but I

would advise the beginner to procure them from Lakenheatli,

hawk they

taking care to mention for what species of

and whether

are wanted,

for falcon or tiercel.

for the glove,

worn on the

left

must be procured from anyone who

hand by European falooners,

undertake to make

will

it.

very stout gardening glove of the gauntlet shape does very well

any rate, for feeding and ordinary ocoasions ; and beware of using

anything very gay or unusual in which to show friends, for

some hawks

will

not

let

off before

your

you take them up on a glove

very different from the one they have been accustomed to.

The

Jure

may be

either dead or alive.

The dead

lure is a forked

piece of wood, weighing a couple of pounds or more, covered with leather, if

you

like,

and having the wings of birds fastened to

Holes are bored through

for the convenience of tying

I generally nail a pieoe of red cloth to some part of lure is simply

a pigeon on a

string.

Don't

it.

on the food.

it.

The

live

tie string to his legs, for

it will

cut them, but use slip-knot jesses of soft leather, and be sure

secured by both legs.

Very high-fed and successful game

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

hawks sometimes lure,

decline to take the smallest notice of the dead

and must in that case he taken down with the

Mr. Pella

will provide hells

;

the worst of them

lose their tone, unless the falconer cares to

them

off after

live one.

that they soon

be at the trouble to take

hawking ; they are injured, I think, on the block.

bought some excellent

little ferret bells

one of which I have now on a

tiereel.

the other day at Malvern,

It is possible to

make

bells

out of one piece of metal, but I have never been fortunate enough to get such. Neither could I ever find any small enough for merlins.

They are fastened to the hawk's pieces of leather called bewits.

legs (one to each

Take a thin

inches in length, cut to a point at each end.

proper part in the (call it it

hell.

hawk) by small

strip

Pass

two or three through the

Bather near one end of the strip cut a

the " short "), not so near the other end out another

the "long").

slit

slit (call

Put the leather round the hawk's leg; pass the

" short " through the " long," and the " long " through the " short."

Draw tightly.

;

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

CHAPTEE

THE PEREGRINE FALCON (HACK).

The

falconer

may

receive his

young hawks either when they are

covered with white down, or a few days before they can

when they will

are pretty strong on the wing.

very likely lose them by cramp, or,

be plagued with soreamers

the down, yet he fly.

when were they taken

when

far too

And

receives the

difficult

from the crags

your friend's keeper,

the eyrie

probability is that jealousy

;

and

eyrie,

birds just about to

command

for, if

the

proper time

they don't come through

open to plunderers generally, the

and fear of

someone to take them too soon

hawks

They may have been taken

young to be removed from the

sometimes

But he must remember that

may have received them when they were

for their removal

fly,

case, he

not, he will probably

when he

everything does not depend upon is,

first

in the second he will be fortunate

;

in the third not quite so fortunate.

the point

In the

his neighbours will induce

just as our old friend Paley sayB,

in the matter of the cherry tree in the hedge-row,

" It can be of no

use to anyone, as each person would rather gather the fruit for himself before

it is

ripe,

than lose

altogether by leaving

another." I have mentioned just

now

taking the hawks too soon nearly so strong, to taking

;

the very strong objection there is to

but there are objections, though not

them too

late.

forward that they have to be run down

If the nestlings are so

—the

thing has been done,

though the nature of the ground sometimes makes

then there

a considerable delay before

it is

—by

impossible

the time they reach you they will be tolerably strong birds.

And

safe or possible to put

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

them out is

to hack, during

which they mature, most rapidly.

a good deal of taot required in putting them out at

There

and, when

all,

they are out, they mast not remain at liberty very long.

have a reader who

If I

oblige

literally

me by waiting for an

I write

knows nothing

of falconry, will he

explanation of the term "hack," whilst

one or two more sentences about

and things belonging

it,

to it?

from the nest less than a week

I think, then, this, that birds taken

before they can

fly,

and reaching you a day or two before

taken and received at exactly the right time.

cramp, and none of screaming

(artificially

wasting the precious days of the birds is

first

There

brought on)

powers of

are

flight,

no danger of

;

flight by

immured while they are made acquainted with the

there

keeping the lures

there

;

no shortening the period of hack, because the birds are so old that

they can prey for themselves easily when they have been out a

And now for

fortnight.

Hack some

" hack"

itself.

the state of liberty in which ^yesses

little

time before they are trained.

It is

are kept for

managed

in this

way:

When

the young birds are received, they are at once (unless

excessively young) supplied with bells

and

jesses

;

and

they are put on a platform some four feet high, which the corner of an outhouse

and

will

any case

erected in

—an emptyloft or an unused coach-house

answering the purpose very well. lures,

When they

thoroughly

know the

come down from the platform to them, the door

opened, and they are allowed to fly. They will return at feeding times.

Let us suppose the reached you. for

hack

There

bells are

first case, viz.,

that very young hawks have

time enough to put on the bells and jesses,

much

distress such small birds.

larger than flying bells,

Put plenty

and would only

of clean straw

on the

plat-

form, which should have sides of two or three inches high, with horizontal bars touching their tops, on which the, birds will perch

;

and

;

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

make your

guests as snug as possible.

Cut up raw beefsteak into

small pieces, and feed with a rather blunt stick or strong straw.

Vary the is

diet with pigeon, hen,

and sometimes

rabbit.

The

last

not supporting, but is an excellent change amongst Btronger food,

and

I have looked into that nursery larder

used in the real eyrie.

myself.

feed these very young birds three times a

Ton may

day, but twice a day will soon be sufficient.

—as

you rear them, I

fear

—they will turn out screamers,* and make

I have already said

your head ache in after days.

Also they

looking eyes, and without the

a later period.

At any

life

may grow up

with sodden-

and briskness of birds taken at

rate, all these things often

happen when

shepherds and such people have taken the nest too soon, in order to

be well beforehand, and have kept the birds themselves for a night or more, feeding them, no doubt, on all manner of

filth.

fort-

There

would be one advantage perhaps to the young falconer in having birds of this sort

—he could

them out to hack. go, step roof,

by step as

from

have no possible

difficulty in putting

They would become perfectly tame ; they would it

were, from the inside of the outhouse to

its

to the house-top, and so on ; and they might be

its roof

out at hack a very long time.

Take the second stage.

feed

Bell

case, in

them with the

either,

which the birds reach you in their best

and jesse them at once ; place them on the platform stick or the

for the first

end of your

finger, as

they will bear

two days, sounding a whistle the

indeed you should do in our

first

Then

case.

lose

while, as

no time

introducing them to the lures, which place on the platform, so held or tied that they can't be dragged into a corner, and the meat eaten in the dusk. tit-bit of

* This,

Stand by during the meal, and now and then

steak at the end of a straw.

however,

That, however,

not invariably the oase.

bird taken from the nest

offer is

your

not of

Not long ago I heard when very young which did not soream at all.

of a

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

much practical good in one way, most

do it as yon

the birds will

must rather tend than not to give them confidence, and to

prevent " oarrying " in after times.

Very soon they will

That

the lores on the ground, and eat eagerly.

doors and let them out. leave.

will,

have to be taken up with the bow-net eventually.

likely

Still, it

for,

Mind they

They

will perhaps

fly

down to

Open the

will do.

be hours before they

are not frightened just as they take their depar-

Take care to be ready at the feeding times, on the lawn or

ture.

the neighbouring

morning and

field,

with your lures and whistle.

six in the evening will

Eight in the

do ; but, as they getjolder,

it is

as well to feed them sooner in the morning, to prevent them preying

much The

for themselves.

third case

fly for half

a mile

rather

If possible, get

the platform.

Birds come to you which would

difficult.

you were to

let

them

Well, I think

out.

still

someone to spend some time with

them; and the window had better be protected by perpendicular, not

They must not be

horizontal, bars of wood.

out

let

till

they

may make

excellent birds.

than three taken too early.

know

they

the lures thoroughly, though a good deal of time has been

lost. Still

them

I would rather have one of

If birds

come with their feathers the full

length, able to fly well, though it is difficult to

know what has been

done with them a week or two before you had them, and how possible they are so forward, they

tamed

to a certain extent

by carriage on the

hood, amd then turned out to hack. to hack in a particular way. liberty give

them a

live

it is

may be put on blocks on the lawn, fist,

even broken to the

But they should be turned out

For two days before they are

set at

pigeon at the block, in some place where the

feathers will not be considered a nuisance—in the field near your

garden for instance. all

I prefer white pigeons for the purpose.

the feathers remain.

he not knowing This

is easily

—while he

the third day set the is

eating the

first

Let

hawk at liberty-

part of a third pigeon.

done by having his jesses simply hooked to a spring

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

swivel,

which

fastened to your glove by a bootlace, or something

that looks better

you

like.

the swivel, and leave

Ton then unhook

him on the pigeon, which I need hardly say is fastened by a short string near the block.

Put a pigeon out alternately with the dead lure

every night in the dark, or before daylight in the morning, and you

may keep your

bird at hack a fortnight or more, especially

Indeed, I originated,

may as

well mention here

and which

means

plan which, such as

of keeping

them about.

just before it is flown at game, is put ;'it is

have a block in

should she be out

all

you are not able to

;

and, that having been

hawk coming home,

night on a grouse, which she has killed where find her.

In such a case, put down your live

pigeon at night, and be up by daylight "live hack."

The dead

game hawks, which always look (I still, of

very sparingly.

There

come to the live hack.

—the trouble of

* If

;

she will be on

for blood

;

at any rate,

hawk and

This I

has saved

me an immense

must be

live hack)

some danger in hawks being out

summer, but even then they It

it.

lure will not do for successful

course, speak about the lost

in the spring or early

Hawks

this

has been flown at hack in the neighbour-

done, I think you are quite safe as regards the

used

my field

young hawk,

up and brought down to

The arrangement may be repeated

fastened to the block, and allowed to eat the bird.

"Remember, also, that hood.

birds.

neighbourhood, and therefore I have the

near the house, to whioh I fasten a live pigeon.

pigeon

it is, I

have found very successful with older

my hawks in my own

following

call

the

in the evening too.

Feed

I fly

come in the morning.

hack-bells are pretty heavy; for she will

all

night

will generally

deal of trouble

going for miles shouting and throwing up lures.*

in our first oase, let out to

haok when perfectly tame, may

a lost hawk should not return to the live hack,

at daylight close to the place

where

was

last seen.

must be looked for

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

be kept tolerably tame for some weeks, and may even be taken up

on the lures without the use of a

net.

But

to ensure this

stand close to them every time they are fed, and

them a juicy

the net,

The

bit of

Hawks

feeding.

it is

you must

well to give

meat from the hand now and then as they are

in our second or third case almost always require

though you may approach some of them within a few yards.

wildest, however, will

make very considerable

tact necessary.

long string must be used, put perhaps through a stone wall, or

some other

fence, so that they can't get even a glimpse of

you as

you pull. Before describing the bow-net, with which hack hawks are taken up, I must give a hint as to the care required in letting out

They should be induced to come

in our second case.

out,

hawks

when

decidedly hungry, to lures just out of the place in which they have

been kept

;

them gorge themselves, taking

there let

care, as I said

above, not to alarm them while they are leaving the neighbourhood of the outhouse for the first time.

short distances, and even then

They should

may be

at feeding time, and perhaps go to them for the

The tow-net

this

—mere

should measure

half

When

;

throw back the other half over

neatly.

day.

the whole is open,

three feet from hinge

and a half across the other way.

feet

first

which are joined together at their ends by

loops, in fact.

full

a net fastened to two semicircles of iron bar

(five-sixteenths in size),

simple hinges

fly quietly off

necessary to look them up

it,

to hinge, and four set

it,

peg down one

tucking the net in close and

Fasten a long and strong string to the iron of the move-

able half, but not quite in the middle.

Draw an imaginary line from

one hinge to the other and just within that line, and a little nearer to ;

the side on which the string is not fastened, place a hooked peg firmly in the ground. jesses

;

only, is

this

a pigeon

made

secure with very short

or perhaps the lure, well furnished with meat, in one place

made

quite immovable.

Take a

light peg, and, putting it

PRACTICAL FALCONKT.

14 only a very

way

little

in the ground, let it hold the string well

from the pigeon or hire Thus, when a

hawk

—of course on the side where

feeding, even should he drag the whole length

of the pigeon towards the string,

you to

pull,

away

fastened.

it is

will not

make it impossible

for

because he will not be so near the string aB to receive

an injury from

when

it is

Take care

jerked.

also to pull

a little

towards the side on which the string is tied. It is a good plan to strew

some pigeons' feathers over what if

little is

you are oatching a very wild hawk.

you

make the let

and leave the

finally set

net, for

seen of the net, especially

Practise a pull or

two before

anything like a mistake may

bird very shy the next time he comes.

When he is

caught

some one hold him firmly across the shoulderB with both hands

whilst

you turn the net

and

over,

either

hook the jesses to a spring

swivel on your glove, or hastily place a leash through the

the time being.

I think that hack is necessary ;

train

certainly I should not care to

and enter a hawk to such a quarry as grouse which had not

By hack

been so flown.

made

slits for

Of course, hood at once.

clever

its length,

their turns

and stoops.

With regard

that must depend upon the age of the birds

received them.

so to speak, quite

hawks which creep out to the

I have said,

leave

may

roof,

—say six

you when they are wild and forward

oannot be out so long ; certainly not as a rule, though that you

when you

young and tame, may be out a long time

But those which

weeks.

muscles are strengthened, and the birds

and adroit in

it is

find suoh birds so naturally dooile that they

possible

may

taken up in six weeks or even more.

Falcons perhaps require a longer

hack than

them at

tiercels

;

but keep

all of

liberty as long as

you

can do so with safety.

The

sort of country for

hack

adverse guns ; you must have no therefore, be without

should be without

game

;

that which

and, for

wild,

and it.

free

from

It should,

every reason, I think

—indeed,

much game

human enemies on

with as

little

quarry of

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

any sort as

possible.

However, there

doubtless a very great

advantage in flying where yon hack, so that a case

which you must hack amongst game.

may

occur in

But there are possibly some

advantages in that, as well as disadvantages.

In the next chapter I shall say something about hooding, training,

&c, beginning at the point where we

out of the bow-net.

left

tne birds—just taken

—

PBAOTICAL FALCONKY.

CHAPTEE CASTINGS

—HOODING— FLOWN

III.

TO THE LUBE

— " WAITING

ON "

USE AND ABUSE OP PIQEONS.

The hawks

are

now taken out

Let them

and hooded.

of the net

be placed hooded on their blocks for an hour or two

;

when,

their crops are empty, as they are pretty sure to be, they

carried, the

taken the

first

any castings being, in the bird

night, in case of

hawk can beak-hole I

hood being rapidly replaced the moment

and this continued for some little time. Take the hoods

off,

cast through an ordinary is

man ought to

cut as no

hood

cut

fairly

;

may is off,

for no

drawn, unless the

it.

do not wish to pass by any term whioh may not be understood,

as though

were understood

;

and when

have occasion to use any

such terms, I shall generally pause to explain them, knowing that

—

the educated falconer

he should read this

—or

educated falconer, will not be disgusted at finding set

down here

who

for the benefit of those

even the

all

are not falconers at

Castings are the egg-shaped masses of fur or feather whioh a ejects

half-

the rudiments all.

hawk

from the mouth several hours after he has finished his meal.

They are

of a very considerable size,

and are supposed to take from

the stomachs anything improper; certainly they are very moist, and often rather slimy

when new.

They

are,

because some feathers or fur must be eaten

may do

in another

necessities,

and, whatever a fox

"quarter" (and I have seen wool in the High-

lands in his excrement), a

through the throat.

however, ;

hawk can

only get rid of such things

A hawk in a good state of health should throw

castings that have scarcely any smell, firmly wrapped, not loose

and

and they should be well and

no shape.

—

PRACTICAL FALCONE Y.

Your newly-taken hawk

return.

casting, the

will

have an opportunity of

hood having been removed ; and,

lawn, or with plenty of straw round the block, and

whatever bating there the least harm.

may be when

put on a soft

not frightened,

daylight comes won't do

him

I used to be afraid of this, but I have found

long experience that moderate bating, without a crop of food, need

Carry the bird the next day, hooding and unhooding,

not be feared. offering

him

after a time the leg of a fowl to pull at.

won't look at

;

will only fly off

Don't hold him too short

jesses.

on the jesse side of the swivel

;

Probably he

your glove, and hang by the

have your thumb and finger just will take a little in time

;

won't come up himself, when he hangs put your right hand on his breast and quietly

the

first

lift

him up.

he should absolutely refuse food

day (and you must only feed him on your

on the second

;

anger, and pop

some pieces

in,

try him early

well down, at the end of a strong

This

straw, or not too sharp a stick. in action.

fist),

he won't eat then, make him open his mouth in his

He will

is just

to keep the stomach

Boon come to, and few hawks

—will give you so much trouble.

eyesses of course

Try first to make him feed through

the hood, the beak-hole being very large

;

but stop this practice as

soon as possible.

eyess is

a nestling hawk,

differing

from a haggard, which

old wild-caught bird.

In a few days you will have very

have broken him to the hood bird

tame.

much tamed the bird, and perhaps

—a thing, though, often done before the

Much depends upon

the disposition of the bird ; and,

as to hooding at any rate, a great deal on your

But the aptitude hardly say.

own

adroitness.

make a falconer,

for hooding does not

as I need

I can hood indifferently well, but not so well as one

of our professionals,

who engages

professional, being blindfold.

to hood a wild hawk, he, the

That

professional has nothing else to boast of

very pretty;

but

the

—which he has— a mounte-

; ;

PEAOTICAL FALCONET.

bank might beat him.

practice.

Still,

not at

rate,

all

by clumsiness, Perhaps

i.e.,

very valuable— clearly, at any

may harm a bird very much

you give your mind to

it is difficult

—

a manual affair only, of course perfected

to be despised, for you

could be seen.

hood

It is

good hooding

it.

to write directions for hooding

The allowing a bird to

the hood being on

but, as I have just said,

pull at

—is a help in

I wish

should be done sparingly, for this reason

hungry, and that

hooding and in taming

bird accustomed to pull through the hood may,

your glove when she

;

meat through the

when

trained, bite

a most tiresome habit.

own practice, after a hawk has been taken from the bow-net,

has been simply to hood, put on a block for a couple of hours, carry for

an hour, keeping the hood

been have

The hawk

said.

and replacing

loose,

At night the hood

quite removed.

taken

before

has

off altogether, as I

taken from the block in the morning,

carried for an hour, constantly

hooded and unhooded, made to pull

a little at a fowl's leg through the hood, and for a few moments— for

some time,

She

possible

—after

has been quietly slipped

then placed hooded on the block

opportunity of carrying her.

castings

till

must be

the leg of the fowl must be stripped entirely of

fowl

is old,

the leg will be full of fat

;

off.

you have a further given, therefore

its feathers.

If the

cut that away.

Don't plague yourself with one hawk for more than two hours a day, unless she

very tiresome.

Take her by degrees amongst

company, having the hood ready to put on the moment she bates wildly off your glove.

a week

—sometimes You

the hood.

Continue this sort of thing, and in less than

in four days

—the

hawk

give no castings, beoause for

will

two

be well broken to nights,

when you

are certain that her stomach is free from them, the bird should sleep hooded.

This

it will

falooner

clutfSy,

may seem a royal road to breaking to the hood

be found to answer with most hawks, unless the

but I think

which

I confess

may be from

inexperience.

PRACTICAL FALCONRY. In that case, a longer time,

"When

more " pulling through " the

little

may be

hood,' and a little

necessary.

I said it is difficult perhaps to write directions for hooding,

I spoke of the dexterity

by books.

But

in your right

hand

little

which is gained so much by practice and so

must try to

(the

Take the hood

offer something.

hawk being

seated on

your

and

left),

hold the plume firmly and low down, either between the thumb and forefinger, or

between the

tip of the finger.

derive

first

and second

finger,

but not near the

In either case the position of the hood must

Bome firmness from the

ball of

the hand, and the spare fingers.

the thumb, the hollow of

In hooding rebellious hawks,

the spare fingers are so placed behind the hood aa to oateh the

nape of their necks when they throw their heads back

movement

cases the

in all

;

Newly-caught hawks, and

tolerably rapid.

such as have been frightened with the hood, can sometimes hardly be hooded at

all,

except by first-rate hands,

glove by the jesses, and then enlisted to

draw the straps

till

they hang from your

not easy ; someone

tightly.

great matter

not to lose one's temper.

remember a lady pupil

mine

away.

remember

men

it if

telling

generally

How well I

(perhaps she

she should see these lines) that

to hold her falcon

However, that soon passes

may

also

took two strong

Mora when being hooded

But a hawk is not always, or often perhaps, ready to be put on the wing again as soon as she stands the hood. that, she

the

fist,

Before

it is

must come well from the block, not only to the

as a rule

;

with the birds as quickly as possible ticularly troublesome, they

remember that the

She

;

and

any

must make a greater

Indeed, they benefit of

little distance,

A very great matter is to get

shouting to her at the same time.

may have

but to

but this cannot always be insisted upon.

ought to bate towards the lure when you swing it at a

than the others do.

safe to

lure,

of call

them are

par-

on your time

to lose some flesh

;

for

hack begins to fade away when hawks c 2

—

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

A week is

have been confined a long time to the blocks.

some birds between taking up from hack and

enough for

flying to the lure, but

Three weeks

others can hardly be got ready in so short a time.

certainly far too long.

When the birds— especially eyesses — are need only wear

it for

going to and from the

much from some

field),

;

from too seldom wearing

barefaced.

;

when

I don't say that they should miss

they do

(except, of course,

unless, indeed, they are seen to bate

cause or other.

a day in being hooded

sit

broken to the hood, they

an hour or more a day

so,

they get to dislike the hood

but, assuming

then

dislike,

They soon get tame on a lawn by doing

—agents,

there are children and dogs about

let

them

so, especially

however, to be em-

ployed in moderation, as they must not tease or frighten the birds.

Hooded

birds, it is clear,

When a hawk,

might just as well be away from

society.

broken to the hood and made tame by carriage and

the presence of people,

put on the wing for the

must be decidedly sharp-set

i.e.,

about twenty-five hours before.

time, she

first

she must have had only half a orop

I don't

know how

but I have

it is,

—which

almost always found that good fresh beefsteak

—gives hawks which were fed on

exceedingly nourishing

an appetite to-day.

I fancy it

—though excellent, do not

tite as beef does.

I give both,

must be yesterday

must give a tone to the stomach, and

Hot

a sort of spwrt to the bird's constitution. killed

seem to

birds

i.e.,

birds just

to leave such

and now and then

not often, to hawks worked daily at grouse.

rabbit,

an appe-

but the last

It is cooling,

and not

unnatural food, as I have said before, and a nice change.

Well

the

;

as far as

hawk

on the wing to the

lure.

you can, from the neighbourhood

Don't keep her too long on the wing the

may

sit

on the ground

a bad one

up to her

—she may do till

she rises

;

first

not a dashing bird

so in any case.

Ton have taken her,

of trees or stone walls.

—

time, or perhapB she if,

in short, possibly

Supposing she does, walk

and on no account throw her the lure

till

she

PRACTICAL FALCONET. is

on the wing.

Reward her

well

speaking

when you have

now

of course only of this stage.

on the

lifted her

you only take the lure

lure.

Tou

don't

touch her, of course

;

where she

and fasten the jesses to the hook-swivel on your

is eating,

glove, or to the leash,

in your hand, just under

which you pass through their slits for the time

Detach the beef, fowl's leg, piece of pigeon, or what you have,

being.

from the lure by a cut in your hand, well

your knife on the string, and hold

down in your grasp

nuisance of weight in carrying a heavy lure in one hand.

has finished (but rather

home

but

;

let

her

will sit quietly.

sit

let

barefaced on her block,

We have now made considerable

progress,

The orthodox plan

at the block, which she kills and eats this meal, to fly her at

a young one.

you know that she

all

off.

and the hawk is

to give her

ready

a pigeon

and, the day but one after

;

Now, the entering

to pigeons

Amongst the former we

advantages and disadvantages.

its

When she

you think she won't, keep the hood on by

for entering to quarry.

has

firmly

her eat on her way), hood and take her

Fasten her to the block before yon take the hood

means.

this is simply to save you the

have the constant exercise and practice which the hawk gets by the nights,

and the many valuable lessons she may receive in " waiting

Let us look into this a

on.''

Wmting on falconer,

dog

and waiting

used, a good

till

hawk

he springs quarry.

his master.

The

oircling

When

and practised game hawk

more on him than on high.

little.

expresses the action of

will

above the

a wide-ranging

be seen to wait

peregrine can't go

up too

A bird that will " wait on " in the clouds, like the little falcon

Aurora, the property of the Count Alfonso de Aldama, and lately flown at grouse in Scotland, can hardly be valued by such and such

a number of sovereigns not an eyess, she

— she

is priceless.

few words in one of these chapters. this

;

That

bird, however, is

a wild-caught hawk, and of such I must say a

Most hawks do nothing

screamers keep close to the ground as a

rule,

and many

PRACTICAL FALCONKY.

But the marvellous

the best birds don't alwayB exceed 100 yards.

advantage of high " waiting on "

obvious

;

any

monstrous power and impetus.

case, gives

commands a

great

often causes a out over at the first stoop, and, in

extent of moor,

profanely," I declare that to see a trained

" Not to speak

hawk come out

of heaven,

frequently with the zigzag of lightning, upon rapidly-flying grouse,

sends a something through

pleasure, that I almost fancy, in I

must have been the I

whole frame, so thrilling in

some previous

its

state of existence,

real peregrine himself.

not forgetting our business, however, in these raptures.

were speaking of the advantages and disadvantages of entering

young hawks to pigeons, and one of the advantages was that they

may be made

useful in the practice of " waiting

paused to explain. They

may

quarry in your hand ; and when a young patiently above

you

for

some

on"— a term

little

which

You have

be made useful in this way.

hawk has kept

well and

time (don't try her patience too

much), and you feel that the lure which she was called down to yesterday

not enough reward, yon have

in your

her a flight, to teach her, by a convincing proof, that

power to give if

she will only

keep well above you, there shall not always be a laok of quarry. This I think very important. Again,

some time before the 1st

At what,

of August.

pigeons

The

And now

all

of September,

then, are

you to

young hawks

will

be ready

and generally before the 12th

fly

to those dates, if not at

lure will hardly be sufficient.

for the disadvantages.

There

no quarry to which

hawks take more kindly or naturally than pigeons. soon wedded to them, and I have

known

tiercels,

flown at pigeons up to the 1st of September,

They are very

which have been

make such

lazy

attempts at partridges that great trouble has been the consequence.

Perhaps a partridge has had to be netted, or some such device resorted to, by

way

And even with

faloons,

of entering, before

any sport could be obtained.

whioh are not so soon spoiled as

tiercels, it

PRACTICAL FALCONET. is

necessary to be careful in the use of pigeons.

not entered to grouse

bably lose the

first

till

two or three she

memory of the pigeons

When

a falcon

these birds are very strong, she will proflies

she killed easily,

at.

Then

will

and you may

come the

see her, after

pursuing the game with no earnestness for a couple of hundred yards, wheel back losing heart

At any pigeons.

and leave them.

much sooner than

rate,

do not

let

Hawks

differ,

however, some

others.

a young hawk be too successful with

Give her some old blue rocks, with plenty of law, time

she has flown and killed a couple of —not, however, young ones —and when she comes back tired and disappointed, throw after time

till

up to her a brown ohioken on the heather or

stubble.

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

OHAPTEB

IV.

PARTRIDGE AND OEOTJSE HAWKING, WITH SOME COMMENTS ON "CARRYING," MAKKEBS, WOOD PIGEONS, ETC. I

think

the

first

may be

sharp-set,

said that every

young

And

time he sees them.

every falcon, the two

pigeons or not, will go straight at her

the pigeons will have done her no

and that more than once, she she

managed

birds,

must leave

con-

first

will

first

harm

;

If she should

grouse. if

she lose her quarry,

hanker after another with which

better.

It is obvious that

young

will fly partridges

and whether she has been flown constantly at

ditions being kept,

kill,

good health,

tiercel, in

and not utterly wedded to pigeons,

young hawks should be put on the wing above

when that it

is possible,

the

first

time they fly game

;

and

to the falconer's conscience as to the precise date of

his hawk's first introduction to this quarry.

For myself

have no

opportunity of doing anything but adhering strictly to the game

laws

;

indeed, I hardly ever fly

August. really

my first

It is necessary too, as I

hungry

;

while

it is

have

grouse so soon as the end of said, that

the hawk should be

not only unnecessary, but likely to be fatal

to suooess, that she should be in a state of famine.

She must have

plenty of flesh and pluck, and be without pangs of hunger, or she will

keep olose to the ground, or hang over your head, looking only

for the lure.

Neither do I object to a moderate wind

that, I think

one.

very necessary to have

Birds like to feel

makes high

flying easy.

under them It is

the ground on a perfectly

sometimes tempt birds up.

;

it,

especially

gives

;

so far from

if it

be a

warm

them courage, and

a very good hawk that does not hug

still

day.

A bright

sun, however, will

—

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

—

Your dog has found partridges clearly

a dead point (never mind

in a tolerably open country

the country

and you have unhooded and cast

off

tiercel.

it is

not so very open)

The hawk has been

tanght to " wait on " to the lnre, and to the few pigeons you have

thrown up under him, and therefore he follows you to the Don't be in too great a hurry

when you think he

will

let

;

when

no higher, and

point.

him have time to get up

;

towards you, put up the birds as nearly under him as

be.

in "

and head

his

may

Perhaps he will take one at once, or he will " put them (i.e.,

into cover), or will kill at some distance.

kill at

once, keep everyone back but yourself, dogs too, and go up quietly,

and yet with nervous

;

confidence.

Kneel down, or

indeed, should he seem fidgety, let

retire a little if

him plume and break

into the bird a little (and this will probably take longer than you imagine).

Then

remaining upon

the partridge firmly in your

lift

;

seoure him, feed

left hand,

him up with

leg of a chicken, given under the wing of the quarry

and

fly

him no more that day.

the hawk

beef, or the ;

hot

then hood him,

he appear quite steady, pulling at

the head or neck, take him at once.

But we will now suppose that he has put thebirdsinto some covert.

You had markers, no a partridge rush, dogs

flight is

and

all,

again while the

doubt, in the probable course of

seldom very

flight,

though

Let them rush, and do yon

far.

to the spot, and get at least one of the birds

hawk remains

overhead.

partridge hawking for not having a

hawk

There that will

no excuse in

make

his point,

as they Bay, over " put-in " quarry, because the distance

short

enough for some one to be up in time with a spaniel, or long stick at least, to get the birds out.

has

and

left, for

the

first

If this

can be done before the

few times he puts

in,

will ultimately wait with considerable patience,

you be slow

in your movements.

different, for the flight is often

hawk

he will gain confidence, even should

In grouse hawking matters are

a great deal too

far,

and the ground

—

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

make

too hilly, to

up while the hawk remains.

possible to be

therefore comes back,

She

by way

(This only

and yon beat again.

parenthesis.)

has killed at a distance, the markers will have been

If the tiercel

and you

useful,

may be

has killed

ground

will

go at once to your bird.

hawk down

necessary to take the

mean

after

some

but this should be avoided

;

you can scarcely give him anything; he having to

hawk all,

fly

possible, for,

move

to other

when he comes,

—though you must give a

little

almost instantly; besides, frequently calling a

to the lure destroys his pitch, and, as he can hardly be fed at

makes him

after field

careless of the lure.

he does

till

kill

;

old bird will follow you field

but be careful how you

a young

tire

Use your own judgment, and act accordingito circumstances.

hawk.

A tiercel

used to partridge hawking will

or two brace in a morning

inexperienced bird.

;

but this

you a brace and a

first,

of small

—hood

the bird, and don't

for that will lead to carrying.

a most tiresome fault

;

but

it is

often, indeed almost

Some

always, the fault of the trainer rather than of the falcon. birds, it is true,

others

seem to have a greater disposition to carry than

and the smaller species

;

them at present) are worse

hawks (but we have not spoken

in this particular

than the

larger.

indeed a nuisance to find your bird pick up the quarry and

off

with

it,

half

many to take from a very

The moment that is done—and

perhaps done before you come up

snatch the partridge away

Carrying

kill

too

They should eat the head, or a couple

mouthfuls from the neck, eaoh time. it is

to the lure before he

failures), in order to

make

perhaps for the distance of two or three hundred yards,

just as

you approach your hand to

may do

this

seize it

;

and the tamest hawks

they have been improperly treated.

—at

no fear of the falconer hawk's only suspicion

least,

that she

has been robbed, no doubt.

It is

done from

from no fear of his presence is

about to be robbed

You have taken

;

the

and she

her off the food in a

PRACTICAL FALCONET. careless way, or

you have, at any

rate, failed to

make her

like the

approach of your hand by forgetting to give her dainty bits

from

she was

while

Tou may

the lure.

something pretty tough on

pulling at

also have allowed

her to

meat which you have imperfectly

pieces of

may have

carried a light lure

and gorged

away with

fly

tied to the lure, or she

herself

from

All these

it.

The greatest pains mnst.be taken about

things provoke carrying.

them, for you can have no peace with a oarrying hawk. should drag, but not attempt to

fly

with the pelt

quarry), the possibility is that she does not

She has fortunately been used to heavy

it.

all,

that she must feed where she

the tree of knowledge.

hawks

Still,

never occurs at

captured

(or

know she asm fly with

lures,

and thinks,

not the thing

;

and, with proper treatment,

pass away with almost any.

after

Let us hope she will not eat of

is.

even dragging

all,

If she

The best hawks

some

it will

have had, the

highest flyers, those free from screaming, the most noble in every

way, have never seemed to know that there was such carrying ; at any rate,

thing as

never occurred to them that any respeot-

able peregrine could be such a beast as to attempt

it.

I have said something about partridge hawking, but not perhaps quite enough.

have assumed that

as I have gone, and I confess

much

not very

me up a

little

done with the

—to prefer the male bird in this sport.

and quicker at the turn than the speed a

it is

experience leads

sooner;

falcon,

little breeze,

tiercel,

the difference

He is

—but

lighter his

But put

rise.

hawk

flown at grouse before, and that every fine day ; and

good as any

rather

and possibly gets into

not high when the birds

rather small faleon in a

tiercel as far

that has been if

she

not as

not in the sex, but in some

accident. If birds are

very wild, and won't

lie

to a point at

all,

you have

your certain remedy with a high-flying hawk.

Simply put him

up before you

enter

the

field,

and when he

at his pitch

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

dash through

short time,

getting the birds up as soon as you can.

it,

that he should

know

they are allowed by degrees to go near his block when

unhooded.

We now come

So much for partridge hawking with the peregrine. to a nobler sport

—we

come

to hill

higher winds, to stronger exertion. herself, the

It is well

the dogs, which he will do in a wonderfully

much

female bird

stronger,

who

think so

and heather, to longer

flights, to

We come to the peregrine falcon much

much

greater than her husband, I will

nobler.

not say that

know

that they are often killed by wild tiercels there

grouse have not been killed by trained tiercels, for I the contrary;

no doubt

;

but I

utterly

and entirely for the falcon in grouse

hawking, as the bird so easily entered to that quarry, and so thoroughly to be depended on in flying

it.

There

flinching

with the falcon, no seeming to slaoken the pace as though she

were afraid of hurting her foot with the blow ; but there right, headlong, rapid,

there

down-

the very character of commanding power in every hiss

of her rushing bell,

and

every stroke of her glorious wings.

She goes into battle knowing that she on the

honest, mighty chasingv-

earnest, brave,

prize, as

down, an armed cruiser with craft that is

will

conquer; she hurries

one who would only snatch her own all

her

;

she comes

certain of the little

sails,

bounding so quickly before her.

Surely she

the

queen of the wilderness and of the sky, the ruler of every creature beneath, the servant of but one above her

It is she to

whom

the winds are nothing, the hail nothing, the lightning on the

—all these

mountains nothing

she defies

;

but

man

her master,

and I have Been her go out furiously at his bidding, or come

down

gently to his feet, out of the very clouds of heaven.

For the

first

few weeks in Scotland, and for the

England, grouse will

lie

to a point.

Wait

faloon up, as directed in partridge hawking.

first

few days in

for one,

and put the

But when birds are

;

FEACTICAL FALCONET. very wild, get a few beaters, put the

when she

up as

you don't mind

most valuable for this work

and

likely plaoe,

fast as

you can.

him a

spoiling

little,

but then your hawk should be a

;

Consider the matter

high-flyer.

hawk up

at her pitch get the grouse

wide-ranging dog, especially

If she is

not a high-flyer, and

birds are put up a couple of hundred yards from her, she has uncom-

monly

little

chance, especially after August.

But,

hundred yards or more above you, or above the dog,

she keeps a

may

his range

be very considerable with great advantage ; and, indeed, the hawk's

With such

presence in the air will help to keep the grouse down.

birds as Aurora he might range half a mile, for that matter

then,

Aurora has any

her noble pitch, would

fault, it is that she is too good.

fly,

and probably

dentally at a very great distance

The

markers' vision.

direction

kill,

she would

;

but

;

She, from

grouse sprung accikill

out of reaoh of

would probably be known, and,

with active men, she might be found in time ; but she might not be found. is

Then, unless she comes next morning to the

a chance of good bye altogether.

this that the

live hack,

there

from

It will be gathered, then,

all

game must be put up under a good hawk quickly, while,

at the same time, neither dog nor beater should be so very far off her as to

make the

flight either impracticable or

dangerous from

its

distance.

Markers, I

pretty sure, are necessary in gronse-hawking

certainly they are necessary

are necessary with

your sight

;

the

are very near

know whether left,

kill is in

on anything but a very

The

flight is

some ravine

;

flat

soon over a

the bell

not,

moor

—they

hill

out of

not heard

besides, the flight once over the hill,

till

you

how do you

goes straight on, or turns to the right or to the

or (though this

Markers may

here.

rarely the case with

and often do

know whereabouts it is and if they ;

game) oomes quite back

not, absolutely see the kill,

but they

see a " put in," there they are,

to get the grouse up again before the falcon leaves the place.

;

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

course they should always be before your beat, and placed on the

a kill, they cry

If they know for certain that there is

highest points.

" who-whoop " and this brings the falconer to the spot !

;

they are

uncertain, they wait for the falconer to speak to them, which he

will not

till

he has stood

return of the falcon.

still

she

If.

Then the marker near whom she

that, she has killed.

municated with, and a search

more than a

sentence, anything

fore, are instructed to point

the direction of the

made.

—at

any rate to hear any

falconer's cry.

My markers, there-

waving

the best, and

the case of a certain will wait

with one arm, just like a finger-post, !

by the throwing up or waving a hat

destination

its

must upon no account be done except

If the

kill.

hawk

first

The hawk should

returns without success, she

rises, as

time,

and the process of beating

certainly be acoustomed to

may

her head

resumed.

some cry when the

possibly be turned from the game.

and so do the beaters, " Hooha,

ha,

the falcon sweeps round in a moment, and

may

on over the falconer and his beaters, frequently nigher

than she did the

cry

flew is com-

It is often impossible for

and to insure the news of " who-whoop "

flight,

reaching

shout,

and markers to hear each other

falconer

grouse

nearly ten minutes looking for the

not back in a shorter time than

ha " as loud as

in instant pursuit.

also be used to call her to you, such as "

Hi away

can

A A

loud and peculiar whistle, that to which she was acoustomed at hack,

The bird,

the best

;

only

and so

on, are

good here.

with a good peregrine, of the quarry

;

and

it is

grouse without even of

rather bothers the dogs.

directions given in partridge

hawking as to taking up the

Tou may

kill

two or three grouse

you get up in time to prevent much eating

wonderful

muoh

how long an

disfiguring

it.

eyess will stop on a

I constantly find a quarter

an hour or twenty minutes a mere nothing.

But then my birds are flown with a great deal I

of flesh on them.

want weight, to carry them through wind, and to carry them

PBACTTCAL FALCONET.

want

I also

steadily.

friends tell live hack,

and

force,

and the perfection of health.

that I could not

fly sttoh fat

birds were

not for

My my

I believe them.

Wood pigeons

are

somewhat

of a nuisance

where they abound,

but a good game hawk will soon leave them alone, unless they come very daringly near

;

in a partridge country,

common, they soon save themselves to "waiting on."

sport; they

dismiss

the

them

mode

of flying

them;

for bilberries.

I will

either falcon or tiercel"will kill them.

of course be flown

must leave other

next chapter.

from the hand, and the place

open country.

rock make no despicable sport

notice,

and the hawk returns

here, as there is not anything very special to say about

of flying selected for its

where they are often

In a very open country they afford excellent

come sometimes to the moors

House pigeons may

But

in a wood,

;

it is

flights

Two hawks

the coursing of the

after

a blue

air.

and some other matters

for the

Grouse and partridge hawking I shall once more

but only in a few paragraphs, andthat when I speak of the

haggard.

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

CHAPTER WITH GAME

HAGGARDS

—

PIGEONS.

wood pigeon the truth was, :

my way as

— HERON-

MAGPIE-HAWKING — PEWITS—WILD

the end of the last chapter I was led for a

to the in

AND ETESSES

CHICKENS

—ROOK-HAWKINS

HAWKINQ

DUCKS— HOUSE

the

moment from game

wood pigeon eame

necessarily

game hawks from the

bird which occasionally leads

right path, and, having once mentioned him, I thought I would

dispose of

him

for ever.

had

not, however, as I said, quite done

with game-hawking.

The haggard

peregrine, so good at herons

been flown with great success at game.

hawks "wait-on" very rience,

Many

good of

footers.

them have

high,

and rooks, has

Some

lately

of these wild-caught

and are always, from their long expe-

But they are

diffioult

to be kept low in flesh,

birds to deal with.

which

certainly a

misfortune, and their disposition to " self -hunting " ia annoying.

But

again, like Aurora (a

show to

hawk mentioned

excellent sport with grouse

them

;

before),

the danger of their being lost.

lies in

some

them

and no doubt the great objection I wrote to Robert

Barr, the professional falconer, on this matter, not long since,

and set

I will

give an

down what

lows

extract from his letter

I said to

him

in return.

not have haggards for game.

She waits on well and high, and too well, as,

kills

;

after that, I shall

The extract I

she

is lost."

as fol-

grouse first-rate

here.

— yes,

she goes out of sight, she has killed and eaten the

grouse before she can be found in these wild deep glens she

have one

;

and, before

hungry, a grouse getting up under her, she will have

He means

that she will

kill for herself

;

without the

PRACTICAL FALCONBY. smallest trouble

;

take a second grouse almost before the

will

thoroughly digested, and so on

hardly have an of

seeing

her on the wing.

and

I have

and two other passage-hawks "

plumage

haggard)

—"

will

often

one

never

repeat,

had the best grouse-hawking

the oonsoquence

continues:

first

you

this being the oase,

most grouse of any year since I began

killed the

hawking ; but what

ture

opportunity of luring her, and not

have a haggard for game. this year,

have lost one haggard,

(a wild-caught

hawk

in the

imma-

spoken of often only as a " passage-hawk," not as a

all three as

good as any

man

ever had, but out of their

place at game."

In answer to this I told him that I did not doubt he was right, and yet I would try. to enter her to

bourhood.

I would get a wild-caught falcon, and do all I could

my live

hack

But, after

Princess and Islay, or

and flown ?

If I ever

;

then

fly

her at grouse in the neigh-

what can beat such eyesses as the

all,

many

other nestlings which I have trained

have the opportunity of flying a haggard at

grouse for any length of time, I will tell I

my readers the result.

have now said all I intend to say about grouse and partridge hawk-

ing, except this hint.

in flying

an eyess should be very much disappointed

game before she has

killed any, I

recommend the following

plan.* Before she declines flying it altogether, let your markers have

each a brown chicken, about the

size of the quarry, flown at

she should again " put in " her bird where

;

and

cannot easily be

retrieved, let a chicken be

thrown down to her in a string before she

attempts to leave the spot.

She must then be allowed to gorge on

The

be hooded, and taken home.

chicken creeping into covert ; but

for the chicken itself,

* It

it is

it,

string is necessary to prevent the it

must not be too much displayed.

a tolerable representation in colour

should only, however, be adopted in extreme cases.

towards the end of this chapter.

See a caution

PBACTICAL FALCONET.

and

size of the bird flown at, it will

had such a bird in her

live grouse or partridge, as the case

thing; but

it is difficult

for the

;

feet, will easily

hawk, never having

be deceived.

may

be,

Of course, a

would be the proper

to obtain these, especially the former.

But

a good falconer, with fair material on his hands in the shape of

hawks— especially

with— can have no

occasion whatever for these artificial aids.

he have a covey scarcely full-grown to begin

You

should learn to swim without the bladders. It is

and

now high time to speak of other flights than those with grouse

partridge.

Heron-hawlting say, of

and not from

the great sport, but I

practice.

mine has more than once knocked

have never killed one.

only from hear-

passing heron about, but I

Haggards are used

think some eyesses would be equal to

odd times,

know

Whilst grouse-hawking, indeed, afaloon

;

for the sport,

indeed,

though

some few have,

killed herons.

Herons are hawked on what

is oalled the "passage;" and not long ago there was a club in Holland-the Loo Club-whose mem-

bers were very successful at this sport.

By the "passage " is meant the passing of herons from the trees on which they build to their frog or fishing grounds, and the passing back again. Falconers are stationed at convenient parts of this passage, down wind of the heronry, on the look-out for returning birds, which are called " heavy," because they carry food or some very daring man, with ; an excellent hawk, may even venture upon a "light" heron—i.e., one going out to

but this is difficult and dangerous. I need! perhaps, scarcely say that the falcon, and not the tiercel, is used for fish;

this flight.

A quarter

of a mile from the falconer,

yards or so in the

and a couple of hundred

the greatest distance a falconer ought to fly through-at any rate, as a rule. Herons have been killed with more law, but not often. Off go the hoods of two falcons when the air, is

PRACTICAL FALCONEY. heron, on his

gorges his

way home, has passed the

time in order to get above the hawks.

little

in her turn.

hawks "bind"

hawk

;

ride

and

exists

all three

the

rings too,

and

she stoops, and

is of

again in a moment.

down wind, as

oourse quite open.

heron

If the

so.

fast as

Danger to the

on the ground, scarcely ever during the

even Sir Walter Scott has said

a catch, both

come down to the

reached practised hawks loose

bump, but make

at this sport, and that

the country

dis-

all

bnt the second hawk has climbed up

Just before the ground

you can

;

After some blows there

to the quarry,

their hold to save the

You must

in either ease perhaps, but certainly in the former,

;

both birds descend a

ground.

little.

They make

One hawk is above the heron

larger ones than his.

and stoops

falconer a

he turns and goes down wind, making rings

fish,

hits or misses

flight,

though

not hors de

combat when the falconer comes up, the neck must be seized, and matters arranged as soon as possible.

den

to,

When

as they always should be, the heron

heron hawks are rid-

often found unhurt, or

not seriously hurt in that case, the hawks are fed on hot pigeon, held :

under a dead heron's wing, or even without that precaution are well-entered and practised birds liberty, to fight or fly

It is

till

they

restored to

another day, and occasionally with a piece of

copper bound round the this not

while the heron

;

leg,

with the date, &c, of the capture

—but

the hawks are hooded.

not to be supposed that every peregrine falcon will fly a heron

the moment she sees him, or that one which does make for him at will stick to

him

all

through.

As a

rule,

first

a great deal of trouble

taken to enter hawks thoroughly to this quarry, bagged herons being necessary.

Mook-hwvdkmg

is,

to a certain extent, a copy of heron-hawking

;

though no rook can go up as a heron goes before a falcon, or a lark before a merlin.

and that

I have killed with eyesses a good

in a very difficult country

;

but

many

my friends

old rooks,

generally use

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

passage-hawks for this

Let

flight.

found that there

I have

first.

give

falcons in their care to fly rooks.

Some

derfully in the minority, will go at

them day

them

and now

in trees,

time, but sticking to of

my own

killing

they are won-

birds, but

—disappointed

fly

I speak of eyesses

eagerly at

but, though

first,

they are tolerably successful, will give them up in time. are falcons that will hardly look at

them at

losing

time after

them

Others will

now

after day,

them through everything.

experience.

experience

a great deal of difference amongst

all,

And there

and oan scarcely

be brought to them even with bagged quarry.

However, most falcons, and some few

Of course

well to begin with.

tiercels, will fly

rooks pretty

I speak of strong dashing birds, not

tame things that have only been coddled ; and,

they have been

knocked about at grouse and wood pigeons, having been successful with these, they are none the worse for that

Of course there

—I think better.

no " waiting on " in this sport, as there

in heron-hawking, the

hawk being flown from

the

perhaps be well, in some very few cases, to put the the flock rises

none

might

hawk up

before

fist

;

but

that must be left to the falconer's judgment.

The ordinary thing

fly

during passage, for rooks have a passage

like herons. If there are trees near, there

"field,"

you

like to call it so.

should certainly be beaters, or a

But

trees are

a great nuisance;

and, without going into what would be strictly called a wooded district, sible.

run

they

may

be so frequent as to

Books always make for

my life

out,

when

trees.

make rook-hawking impos-

Many a time have

I have not been well suppoited

I nearly

by others, or

there have been no others, to get a rook out of a tree while the falcon remained. is

of little

cases

Stones won't always do use.

when even that

rook, however, as

—not often

pistol is the best thing,

requires a little all

know,

shouting

and there are

shot over the powder.

very frightened at anything

PRACTICAL FALCONET. like the report of a gun,

and

have generally found powder

answer.

keep hawks to rooks

—and I learn this from

nse passage-hawks ; I have not done

my friends who my own practice—it is some-

times necessary to give them washed meat for

many hours

in water,

;

meat, in fact, soaked

looks white and sodden.

till it

This

the

" nnbloody " crop ; the " bloody " crop, for which the wretched birds

must long,

only to come from the rook

from a hawk's legs and

feathers, under this regimen

"This bird

and the

not

fit

itself.

and some

feet,

The yellow goes from her

of the gloss

and, indeed, the falconers will say,

;

—her feet

for rooks

gloss are signs of health

;

but

The yellow

are yellow."

can't be helped, I suppose.

I never went into this kind of thing myself, and have been contented

with high-fed falcons (one taken out of several), that flew rooks because they liked

it.

Just to guard against any mistake, let does

not appear on the cere

upper mandible), nor perhaps to in very I

young

say that the yellow

its full

extent on the legs and feet,

eyesses.

had one falcon that

uncommon and ;

wax-like formation above the

.(the

it is

really liked the flesh of rooks,

but this

under the

breast, to give a piece of nice beefsteak or a fowl's leg

rook's wing.

Once,

when the

falcon I have alluded to

rook's breast, I saw a shot deep in

The rook was

in health

and

fat.

it,

which

this bird to

I of course

Supposing I

among

falconers

Tiercels are the birds for this cunning,

shifting quarry, as they can turn in

can,

it.

JUagpie-haAolcing is a sport so well established it.

took out.

a friend as a hawked grouse, and he had

found the shot, what would he have said of

that I must not omit

was eating a

I also once found a shot in a most

healthy hawked grouse while I myself was eating

had given

a good plan, after the bird has broken into the

and are what may be

called

smaller space than a falcon

"handy."

Eyesses arc by far the

—

PKACTICAL FALCONET.

moat

managed, and when in constant practice nothing can

easily

beat them.

This

singlehanded

unattended

;

certainly not

sport

you can't go out with your

be undertaken

on your

tiercel

there is to be a hope of success

—unless,

fist

indeed, in

unusual cases— for magpies, as a rule, are found in the neighbour-

hood of trees and hedges.

There

may

be here and there a

where they may be seen, and which

may

kill

What

wanted

but, even

;

hawk such

would hardly be chosen for the

a good grass country, tolerably free

from wood ; here and there a

and neatly-kept

tree, large inclosures,

The magpie should have a

fenoes.

common

so broad that a

them before they can reach covert

a place could easily be found, sport.

and

refuge, in this plaoe

but no covert must be so great that he can be lost in

The

it.

that, flight

should be run after by some, and ridden after by others ; for both

horsemen and footmen are very useful to drive the quarry from

When

a hedgerow, bush, or tree.

he takes to a hedge,

be well pressed from both sides of his of the

field

and approaching be stooped used),

the

The

other.

moment he

leaves

by one hawk, then by another

will require the

from

him

let

i.e.,

some

above and some below him, each party beating

at, firBt

and he

keep him

position

covert,

attention of

or rather

Onee thoroughly in the broad open, he

(for

he will

two are

several persons to

him

put

out

is easily killed.

it.

I need

not say he has no speed, for everyone knows that; but he has

cunning and adroitness almost beyond

may be

belief.

Several magpies

taken in a day with a cast (two) of peregrines, or, indeed,

With pewits trained hawks can do nothing.

even with one hawk.

They may

fly

dodging

too

them

much

first,

for

occasionally take them, and a

But

but they soon give them up

any bird

;

man saw

one of

will

my hack hawks kill

one

easily.

will

do better by themselves—-i.e., when they have

all

— the

and yet wild peregrines

trained hawks, except a few of the very best, left

you for an

PBACTICAL FALCONET. hour or two

—than

they will when you are in the act of flying

them. I never flew

a hawk at a wild duck,

sorry to say

but any-

;

one who has passed through anything like the falconry I have just written about, will have no difficulty with this quarry.

The falcon

should be used, eyess or haggard, and she might possibly want

The danger

entering.

of the duck (Hying

;

but on marshes the

sport might be excellent. I mentioned house pigeons above, but only in passing.

get over the notion of having had

they will show excellent sport

why a hawk

and there

with those unentered.

you

have

opportunity

for

very

much

interested

the hawks from the blocks,

Many a

pigeons.

time

—myself and

and

for home,

when she has

it.

and

But,

may

yon

have often amused

my them

friends

by taking

dovecote

lost in

the

and then the rush down

them in the

air,

really

have seen hawks make magnificent practice while at

The misfortune

from the

well beaten

;

The

her stoops and

hawk and quarry have been

some pigeons ring beautifully

fine,

flying

clouds, for

very

all

game-hawking,

back on pigeons with advantage.

—nay,

them.

fly

the contrary, they exer-

Fly at them alternately with game, and welcome.

twists.

fall

you can

no reason whatever

a hawk famously, and make her practise

cise

in your pocket or basket,

thoroughly entered to game should not

only delicacy

;

them

that after a time the pigeons refuse to stir

roof. *

—

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

CHAPTEE

VI.

OTHER FLIGHTS —THE JEREALCON — MERLINS — THE GOSHAWK

— THE BATH — IMPING — COPING — THE — MOULT — DISEASES — HAGGARDS — LOST HAWKS — LITE PIGEONS —CONCLUSION. SPABROWHAWK

THE

BBAIL

There

are of course a few flights with the peregrine besides those

which I have named, but the falconer, knowing others,

manage them.

Pheasants, for instance,

may be

will easily

taken with most

enough from covert; and woodcocks may be

falcons, if found far

taken with either falcon

or tiercel,

excellent hawks, on a

moor, perhaps on the edge of a bank near a burn, where I have oc* casionally found them.

in such cases whether he is of is

marked down,

the falooner's judgment

left to

from the

course in the best position

well

all

must be

flies

air or

from the

when waiting on

this is easily arranged.

sportsmen know, are not always easy to

;

and,

fist if

a hawk

the quarry

But woodcocks,

find,

mark them

as you

will.

With the exception

of a very few

words which I may have to say

about haggards, I now with regret dismiss the peregrine, to make

room

for other hawks.

Of the jerfalcon

My space is full short. know nothing from

practice,

and I

shall not

enter here into the question of a difference of species between the Iceland, Greenland,

believe in

it,

and Norway

birds.

I will only say that

and that in very good company.

was determined

not to write a line on natural history in what I intended for a purely praotioal treatise

on falconry; and

it will

be found that I have

The

jerfaloons are used for

hardly written half a dozen such lines.

herons, grouse, rooks, hares, even for partridges,

and they wait

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

They

well.

will take hares fairly, especially with the assistance

of a rather slow and well-broken dog, just to keep the hare going;

any mongrel

will

course from

their

size, fairly

told the fault

successful.

do* They

are magnificent birds—powerful of tractable, is

turn, but they go very fast straight injustice,

in a

swift,

want

on end.

and moderately

of quickness in the

may have done them

but I speak of nothing of which I know nothing ; and I

am blindly bigoted

altogether for the peregrine.

Of merlins I know a great deal;

I can't

be modest here, fori have

flown them year after year with very considerable success. killed quantities of wild skylarks,

many

have

thrushes, a very few black-

some ring-ouzels, and a great many house pigeons with them,

birds,

besides accidental pipits and such like.

that I have said a good deal about these of "

^ghapter

How

became a Falconer."

hack just as the peregrine

treated

;

It is fortunate for

hawks

little

in the first

They are treated during not allowed perhaps to

to remain at liberty quite so long, and taken up either by hand

They

or with the bow-net.

—never on

a day

tough food

their food in large pieces.

are delicate, and should be fed twice ;

neither must they be allowed to bolt

I have seen even a great screaming pere-

grine, always hungry,

though eating half as much again as another,

lose her digestion for

a whole day through bolting immense pieces

Beef chopped to a paste, with

of beef.

for all hawks.

or dead

;

if alive,

hawk from

water, is excellent

tells

in the habit of -flying

Merlins need not be hooded

better that they should not be.

Lord Lilford

little

take care they are not of a sort likely to draw the

the quarry at which she

beware of shot in them.

Merlins, however, should have plenty of birds, alive

;

much

dead, ;

it is

Great care must be taken to prevent

that he dislikes the Iceland birds

landers are the second best; the Norwegian best of considers sulky, and anything but clever.

all.

the Green-

Icelanders

—

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

them "carrying"

—a fault

to which they are peculiarly liable.

sort of claw at the end,

thin rod, shutting up like a telescope, with a

to place, but very carefully, upon the captured lark in the hawk's feet,

with a small ring opposite the claw, to which beefsteak trained,

these

only

it is

little

Merlins are not taught to

fellows will think of moving.

it is

not wanted for

I have flown snipe with these birds, as also with

their flights.

the peregrine, and have had

never

Unless badly

when the hand approaches very small quarry that

" wait on," though they might be in a measure ;

have

tempting piece of

fastened, helps the falconer sometimes.

with a merlin, but

in " with

many "puts

Nor have

killed.

has been done.

both, but

a full-grown partridge

I killed

I really never stuck to

thoroughly.

Bagged larks to

merlins, bagged rooks to peregrines, should never

be ostentatiously thrown up as bagged

;

for if they are,

not expect your hawks to look at wild quarry. perhaps of your bagged bird, but try to let quarry

judgment

you musj^

Shorten the Sight

Bagged

appear wild.

good under certain circumstances, but much delicacy and required in giving

When

it.

a merlin has "put in"

lark after lark, a bagged lark in a string (when the wild one oannot

be retrieved)

is exoellent.

And, to make " putting-in" probable,

instead of flying two merlins at an October lark, drive the lark

down

;

for,

may come down into a hedge then ;

course, unless

give your bagged bird

you soon get the one flown

We now come a place in "

(if

possible) get all,

them

great matters are to

carried

by a trustworthy

very soon after they are received,

to keep the bow-perch in a tolerably public plaoe

and to

i.e.,

to goshwwks, but these will also be found to have

person, some few hours a day in

grass,

as to

at.

How I became a Falconer." The

carry them, and

fly one, bo

not finding a second enemy underneath, he

call

the bird often to the

fist

increasing the distance, and using a string at

—of

course on

from a wall or gate,

first.

They

will

come

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

with tattered, bat I hope without deficient feathers

;

for feathers

knocked clean out are scarcely ever properly replaced at the next moult, though they mow/ he afterwards

have known cases where

they have been, and where they have not been all

hawks.

must not be pulled out

feathers

When not

;

the goshawk

tame and

with equal ease at

kill

in "yarak," give her bagged fly

that which

matter of taste, but to

my mind the adult

than the immature.

plumage

—I

send

really is

books of ornithology.

For

this,

All this

first.

plumage in

however

friends, if

but

—

i. o.,

all

for

hawks

a is

what such

they are ignorant, to

Maogillivray and Tarrell are moat trust-

worthy, and I admire the former exceedingly.

may just mention

is wild,

I think the plumage of the adult

first.

bird very beautiful, and infinitely finer than the

finer

but not

this does with pigeons,

she will immediately afterwards

this applies to

We imp broken feathers, as I shall mention presently.

with hawks.

quarry

and

;

a clear corollary, therefore, that broken

It is rather

Perhaps, however, I

that in the female sparrowhawk and in the female

merlin, especially in the merlin, very little difference is perceptible.

The spa/rrowha/wk and

is trained in the

perhaps even more

difficult

With the female, young

order.

same way as the goshawk,

than that bird to get into flying

partridges,

and even old

ones,

may

be taken at the beginning of the season, or at any time when you can get near them.

This bird, like the goshawk, has more power

from a tree than from the from

trees.

One

fist

;

but I would never encourage flying

of these birds once perched,

may perch

time out of your reach, and careless of lures. is far

too small to

best sport

used

;

fly

at fur, neither is

for

her habit to do so.

with blackbirds, and the male or the female

the latter I prefer.

a long

The sparrowhawk

When the quarry takes to

The

may be

covert, it

be driven out as quickly as possible, the hawk meanwhile coming to the

fist,

or taking her plaoe on a tree.

If it

has taken shelter in a

hedge, the same tactics must be used as those recommended in

PBACTICAL FALCONRY.

Sparrowhawks may be broken to the hood, but

magpie-hawking.

should seldom wear

it.

short-winged, hawks,

Both the goshawk and the sparrowhawk are and do not wait All

but

on,

fly

from the

hawks must have a lath

fist.

—in

them

offered

bathing near a shallow brook, or

the

summer

every

They may be fastened

other day, in the winter less frequently.

may have broad and

They

placed near their bathing-blocks, and sunk in the ground. will

Do not let them bathe too near night.

dry themselves in the sun.

If the

long feathers of the wings or the tail feathers are broken,

they must be imped. course in length and

The needle

This

done with needles, which

(all

a peregrine

may be more

the needles are three-sided)

Select from feathers

differ of

according to the kind of hawk to be imped.

size,

for the wing-feather of

inch in length

;

than an

tapers to points.

you have by you, generally saved from Jjys

moult of other hawks, the one which matches in number and that which you desire to imp.

the

knife

and

real

false

the feather, which

the needle

into

completed.

Insert

mark

to see

you

all.

;

all.

difficult

may

till

the thing

rust

true

length

Dip

matter.

when

the false

all

and

half

you can hardly perceive is

well done

it is

difficult

will not hold

If the feather is

;

nor too low,

broken very near the

hold, cut the quill carefully,

and

insert,

patent glue, a piece of feather stripped of the web, of a

size to fit the quill closely,

add that

and the needle

and the needle will not little

most

they will the

size

very sharp

careful not to cut the real feather too high, or

will get into the quill,

quill,

that

push hard

indeed,

or the feather will break.

with a

get

somewhat

that

pains

half of the needle into

of division

feathers,

brine,

into the true feather

the

Cut obliquely with

having taken

accurately join, of

for

shallow baths

hope

and into that push the needle.

my readers will

I can only

seldom have the trouble of imping

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

The point

of the upper

sometimes a

mandible often becomes too long, and

Out

split is caused.

the point with a pair of wire

off

and use a sharp penknife to touch up the work.

nippers,

Of course

is called coping.

in all these matters the

This

hawk must be

held by an assistant.

The

brail I

have never used, nor do I think

what

I will copy

falconers.

British Isles

" It

simply a strip of soft leather about half an

inch in breadth, tapering towards either end inches long is

made down the

put the joint

end

this

means the wing

position, whilst the bird is at the

The

slit of

about two

Through

hawk's wing, whilst the wing

of the

it.

;

centre of the strip.

of the leather is brought under the wing,

end above

employed by many

it is

said about it from " Falconry in the

and

this slit

is closed;

one

tied to the other

retained in its natural

same time prevented from using

brail is used for very restive

hawks when they are

first

taken up.

And now we come drop the birds.

first

to the moult.

Eyesses in the

In the warm counties of England

this

in Cheshire, seldom begin their

moult

warm moults

kept very fat and

less exposed.

till

Haggards, and

usual practice

to "put the

till

November.

to fly grouse with

summer

hawks

have given

But

for

here

A bird and

somewhere about that

hawks, are considerably

hawk up

still

my birds,

eyesses the feathers are not

later.

to moult," as they call

to keep her on the block, or loose in a

from March

but

sooner than one hard-worked

With young

all old

;

the 1st of May.

fully replaced until the middle of October, or

time.

plumage

sometimes happens as

soon as the end of March or beginning of April

more or

first

feather (the seventh in the wing) sooner than older

warm loft,

some years

in the moult

;

The

it, i.e.,

gorging her daily,

have not scrupled

and

all

through the

moulting hawks some exercise every week

or ten days, with lure or pigeon.

For myself, I can't endure the notion

of the birds doing nothing, sitting on their blocks like parrots in cages

PRACTICAL FALCONET.

46 for

more than half the year

doing

bo,

They must take harm,

both in health and in

flight.

well, it takes

though the confined birds appear pretty

With regard

sure,

to health,

some weeks

or not far short of such a time, to get them into flying condition after the

The old falconers thought so,

end of moult.

at least ; they

were most exacting in their demands on this point ; and modern

though

practice,

it in

some measure disobeys the old

middle of the seventeenth century, or sooner that can

make a hawk that

" For there

she be a full hawk."

put on the wing at quarry, after months of

in the

no man

mew ready

drawn from the

flown under five or six weeks,

falconers, is

Look at Latham,

compelled not altogether to ignore them.

to be

Too soon

excessive fatness,

she would be "full of grease and glut," as they used to saypossible way, no doubt,

The best

would "melt grease," &c.

would be to moult our hawks at hack, perhaps with heavy but

bells;

the

bird's health, I

would be very considerable.

risk

exercise through moult is

opinion, weekly

and makes them continue to be adroit.

think a gTeat deal.

However,

good for the

Of the

latter

assured, on very valuable authority,

that hawks do not even require hach, for a bird, though flying

wretchedly when

first

put on the wing,

of constant flying, go like

a wild one.

straight on end is concerned

that

it will

;

will,

at the end of a week

Perhaps

so,

as fa* as flying

but I cannot bring myself to think

turn and foot like a wild one.

I do not think that an

unhacked bird can ever be so adroit as a hacked grant equal powers of straight flying

;

bird,

even

if I

nor can I conoeive that six or

seven months of absolute idleness during moult does not set its mark for evil both

on health and

ability.

And, with regard to not

flying

an old grouse-hawk in August or September because it is in the moult, all I

can say is that I can't afford to lose the services of

Were

I to shut

selves in

what

them up is

till

their

old birds.

moult was perfeot, and they them-

called " flying order," the 10th of

December would

PRACTICAL FALCONBT. be upon it

almost before I knew where to turn

would be gone by altogether.

In short,

best part of the grouse season, you

must

for-

nay, in many cases

;

the

first

part and the

either fly moulting hawks,

or kill with nothing but eyesses of the year.

And

would rather

risk (what I should oonoeive to be) the very rare accident of the loss of a

young and

soft feather than leave

while I went up the Diseases amongst

hill

favourites on the blocks

with young birds.

hawks are not

common

occurrence,

the

birds are properly managed.

Cramp

commonly caused by the

the nest too soon, and

often fatal.

birds having been taken from

An old goshawk of

mine once

had it, through having been left out in the snow and tempest. She was almost cured by goose grease rubbed

warmth but ;

it is

in.

For the young birds try

rarely of use.

Fits sometimes attack hawks, but I never

Purge with rhubarb

of the smaller species.

peregrine,

The

and so

in proportion.

;

saw one except

in one

four grains for a large

Give light food well chopped.

hecks is a sort of cough, which peregrines have sometimes.

Give a

little

cayenne pepper in the food, or some

six or

seven bruised

peppercorns in the castings.

The

frov/nce

The tongue

is infectious.

sharp

quill,

comes from wet and damp to hawks not at Uberty. swollen,

and

moisture

—Very serious.

straight up, elongating the neck,

alum and vinegar.

Inflammation of the crop.

time.

seen about the beak.

and touch the bleeding part well with burnt alum and

lemon-juice, or burnt

castings.

Scrape off the diseased coating of the tongue with a

and

The

is sick.

bird holds its head

not hood give no ;

For remedies, rhubarb and chopped meat

hawk may be

sick from indigestion,

—very

little

at a

and yet have no

inflammation.

Worms. rhubarb.

—Hub river sand on the meat several times, then a dose of

PRACTICAL FALCONRY.

Fractwes.

—A broken leg

or wing

may

I should ask the

set.

family surgeon to help me.

Pwrasites.—The flying especially

worst of

found sometimes on peregrines, and Lice come from such

them.

burrows in the nares

;

but you

mite

red,

the

but the hawks of a man who

;

keeps them clean can hardly be troubled with

The

to blow sulphur under the feathers.

all, it

few baths

after a

They generally leave

quarry as rooks.

may have

tick,

will soon leave

on merlins,

it,

unless by contagion.

decoction of tobacco and spirit shonld be applied with a camel's

hair pencil.

Only two or three

lines more, to

supply omissions.

peregrine, or any passage peregrine,

follows

copy

from a

letter of

can easily

eat,

and a

Robert Barr's)

hood"

fed freely through the rufter

little differing

(people, of course,

early each morning.

She should be

as long as possible.

to your

want her to

fist

;

When

fastened near her

;

you can

let

shows symp-

perch, but hooded very

let pull

through the hood as

tie

her to a peg, and

she does this, get a small fowl (or

and

let

her

you don't

her go to

when

take her off on a pulling (a fowl's leg, &c), carry

her quietly into the house, and hood her in the dark. until

fit

hand day and night

she will feed unhooded, and

at herons, a pigeon),

fly

When she has

If the bird

may be put on a

tame enough to take out of doors,

jump

iood through which she

two or three weeks.

of being tame, Bhe

much and

do this in turns), "unhooding her very seldom,

late at night, for

toms

a haggcvrd

from the ordinary one), "

her with a hood proper, and keep her on the

and

sent you, the course

her loose

;

then give her

all

Repeat this

the flying and stooping

at the lure you can, after this enter her to quarry," &c.

Lost

Tia/wks, if

they are not found on the live hack near the house

next morning, must be sought far and "near with lure and shout.*

"Where they were lost

ifl

the

first instance,

as I have said before.

PBACTICAL FALCONET. If they

hawks

have been out some time they may require the bow-net but j

differ in this respect,

after a fortnight's absence,

time

some letting you take them up

easily

some getting comparatively wild by that

—at least wild for the moment

;

after a

day or two on the block

they will be found as tame as ever.

In speaking of the use of Uve pigeons, I desire to avoid recom-

mending the practice of I can

;

and the

life' of

cruelty.

I always use the

dead lure when

a pigeon in a falcon's foot is generally so short,

that the death can hardly be more painful than that which comes,

in the ordinary course, from age or accident.

they must be given very sparingly, and, all,

if possible,

for chickens,

not given at

for there is such a thing as involuntarily entering a falcon to

the fowls of a farmyard.

My task my readers

is ;

now

for, if

I hate

a hen-killing bird.

quite finished.

ever there was a

hope I have done

man utterly

rudiments, tired to death of teaching the that man.

And

duty to

sick of writing the

ri of falconry, I

yet I so dearly love the sport, that if I find I

helped anyone to understand shall forget the torture in

it,

and to practise

remembering the cause.

have

with pleasure, I

HOW

BECAME A FALCONEE.

— ;

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.*

OHAPTEE

FIRST EXPERIENCES

WITH KESTRELS, SPARROWHAWK6, MERLINS EARLY NOTES ON FLYIN& THE MERLIN MY OLD ENTHUSIASM.

—

don't know whether

have at

all

endeavoured to repeat myself as

succeeded, but I have certainly

little

as possible in anything I

have written on the subject of falconry, both here and elsewhere. I

conscious, however, that

expressions in writing

bare.

it is difficult

—and some of the old matter

to avoid even the old

of course unavoidable

upon a subject which the author has worn almost thread-

Nevertheless, I only hope that what I

about to do will

—not the thrusting of an unsavoury morsel down reluctant throatB —not the appearing again on not be considered an impertinence

the stage before an audience long ago quite tired of me, and disposed to hiss I

off.

had the thing born

I read any books

in me, I believe, for I cannot

remember that

on hawking when I was at Bchool ; and yet

then that I was determined,

possible, to train a

I had, however, read the " Swiss

hawk

was

to fly birds.

Family Robinson," and thought

Fritz a very clever fellow to train the Malabar eagle as he did,

though I

now know

that he did so in a perfectly impossible way.

have not the most feeble notion what

The chapters

The Field

entitled

How

meant by a Malabar eagle

became a Falconer" were published in

before the little treatise on " Practical Falconry."

been mentioned before, but

may

be as well to notice

This has

again in thiB place.

HOW

bat the I

BECAME A FALCONEB.

with flamingoes must have been a glorious one indeed.

remember the account of

my heart, and it has

flight

lighted the tinder hidden

somewhere

away

more than

certainly blazed

since with

sufficient flame.

first

essay was with a kestrel, which I believed (in

with a good

many

others, I fancy) to

be a sparrowhawk.

common I

hooded

him, poor fellow, with » black velvet hood, manufactured, to order,

my mother's

maid.

This hood was

tightened by a piece of tape, and

hung upon them.

stiff,

made the

I did not

know

and made upon a block.

The

bird's eyes water, for

at that time that hoods

must

very

kestrel disappointed

much, for he was frightened out of his wits at a would not always

kill

a sparrow.

more than a bag

little

live starling,

got tame,

though I sat up with him surreptitiously, night after night,

was dreadfully fagged, from

I gave

and from some book

friends,

ought to do

him

in order to keep

as the other, and

was not

till

I at this time got sight of, I

I tried several kestrels, but one

even the most skilful care, had

till

—as I had heard

him awake

—he flew away in the most natural manner the his liberty.

and

true; but,

it is

some time

first

time

was as bad

later that I

knew how

been mine to give, would have been

thrown away upon birds which, though easily tamed, do not chase.

Then

I got

a sparrowhawk, whioh went through the usual process

of getting his legs entangled in the imbecility of a paralysis, falling off the fist the

moment he was

hanging by his leash like a dead bird.

and hardly ever

lost

temper.

Still I

temporary

placed upon

it,

and-

stuck to him well,

made allowances

for his

ill-

humour, and tried to look to the future when I should reap my reward; but that future never came. Some accident happened

the bird, and he was never put on the wing at

Some years

all.

passed, and I got a whole nest of sparrowhawks.

put them in an apple forming a platform.

tree, in

I fed

them

an open hamper with straw, the periodically

I lid

on beefsteak, soundin g

;;

HOW

BECAME A FALCONEK.

a loud whistle during the process ;

them up with a net

I carried

;

I let

All this

legs,

—I was

;

fault in doing so

I certainly

It is not,

committed

Had

I only

hawks (unhooded)

in the

right rather than wrong.

to keep these

and took

deal, putting

and using a leash with

hack sparrowhawks but

at hack,

was a wonderful improvement.

I think, necessary to

known how necessary it

fly

two of them a good

such jesaes as I could make upon their

a spring swivel.

them

constant presence of ohildren, strangers, dogs, and so forth, I think

very likely that I should have had something like a perfect success

was, I rejoiced

my heart by killing young house pigeons, thrown

up from the hand, with some

of the female birds

in a respectable humour, both

when they were

hawk and quarry being at

perfect

liberty.

About which for

this time I

made one

has ever been

more than sixteen

years,

importance than falconry.

and

of the

most agreeable friendships of

good fortune to boast, which has existed

and

now based upon matters

of more

My friend lived then in Northumberland,

made the journey from Northamptonshire

to see him.

showed me both the peregrine and merlin on the wing, and on the block ; and

may be

easily imagined that I got all the information

My visit lasted a fortnight, My friend also presented me with

on hawking subjects I could extract. so I had plenty of opportunity.

a female merlin, " Pearl " by name possessed.

nestling merlins

Now

of the beBt

hawks

I ever

larks, to procure

when the season came and also more sparrowhawks.

I began to feel something like confidence in myself, and I

in fact becoming a falconer. I

—one

went home to fly Pearl at pigeons and

Still I

had only seen the smaller hawks, and those

entirely without instruction.

But

was

had an immense deal to learn chiefly

when

was

I procured five or six merlins,

gave them a long hack, and trained them with very considerable success

—the females to pigeons, the males to larks.

Year after year

I flew merlins in Northamptonshire and (afterwards) in Cheshire

;

HOW

and,

when

at last I brought the sport of lark-flying to a point as

near perfection as I think

brought

BECAME A FALCONER.

can attain, or as any other falconer has

I used female as well as

it,

male birds for that

flight,

being

certain that they have the less tendency to despair under disappoint-

ment.

Merlins, of all hawks, are the most liable to give

They

face of discouragement.

attacking large quarry little

concerned, and

creatures can capture

will not

in the

are very courageous birds, as far as

and

kill

wonderful that such

it is

a pigeon ; but they certainly

go up into the skies time after time, when they are losing

their larks.

have seen the truth of this year after year

;

and when

the Barrs tried merlins at larks not very long ago, and were delighted

with them to begin with, I told their enthusiasm

would subside a

And

September.

my friend

did.

" Captain Falconer" that

towards the middle of

little

About the 8th

September sky-

larks have got over the moult, are in full feather nearly,

and are

almost ready to go np, before a fast cast of merlins, singing into the olouds. I don't

know whether

;

Carmel " * but having seen

upon the

it is

to refer to "

was the Rev. Josiah Worzel

my merlins leave

subjeot,

bad taste

of that

Mount

book who,

their larks halfway, offered his advice

and not very stupid advice

either.

Tor Mr.

Worzel, more a farmer than a priest, was not altogether a fool

and he

really took

some

little interest

at one time without saying in his

He never met own charming and modest

in falconry.

manner, which, as will be seen, rather omitted than assumed any -

thing—" Well, I

Peregrine, 'ow's the 'awk

ought not to unhood in bright sunlight.

world to do with merlins learning their quarry

has taught

told

;

but a long experience

that he was in a measure right, for

Mount Carmel

a Tale of

Burlington-street, 1867.

Modern English

me he thought

This has nothing in the

Life.

it is

muoh

better

Kichard Bentley,

New

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER. field.

I have unhooded just before entering the

field,

when they

to carry merlins unhooded

plan has been this

and have then

carried a

are really in the

hawk on each hand,

It is wonderful

jesses.

how

the

little

holding the tips of the

birds stand on the qwi

turning their heads sharply at the least movement of a

ready to start into

way, though not so

full

swing at the rising of a

lightly,

the goshawk

sits

leaf,

vi/ve,

and

Jnst in this

lark.

on the glove, when she

in real earnest, and prepares to dash off as you kick each bush

But

for a rabbit.

first

of the

I used to keep

and rightly thought, that

goshawk

my it

I shall speak in another chapter.

merlins too long at hack.

was better to'have three

active birds, with strong muscles, than five or six that

how

I thought,

or four clever,

had only been

on the wing for a week ; but

I forgot

that keepers

hawks, even from their own guns.

The

cam, protect little

may not be

bells

unfair

it is

to suppose

heard, and the size of a merlin on the wing

so nearly that of the kestrel and sparrowhawk, that, unless a

keeper

very careful indeed, he

may

destroy your property without

at all meaning to do so. Peregrines are such large birds, so different

from what keepers ever be killed

a rogue

of size.

call " the

country hawks," that they oan hardly

by a man who has instructions to preserve them, unless but merlins, as I have

;

These

little

should run some risk of their

The longer they if

—

have not the protection necessary that they

it is

need not be rashly exposed.

lives,

are out, the more they are in danger; and, indeed,

they are out too long

them

said,

hawks, then, while

—unless the bells are so weighty as to injure and so leave you.

they will prey for themselves,

a good three weeks, and be thankful

Give them

you take them up at the end

of that time uninjured. I

wish heartily that I had kept a journal, of late years, on hawking

matters ; but to the sport. wliioh

it is

a long time since I set down any inoident belonging

Still, I

have page after page of

friends are very welcome.

They

first experiences,

are the enthusiastic

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

may amuse young

a young falconer's practice, and

records of

falconers now.

These for instance :—" 1852. first flight

Feb. 19. Pearl's (a female merlin)

her pigeon several times, but

it'

was ultimately blown away from her " Feb. 23. Pearl

She came baek well to the lure."

She made a

down wind.

her, going

to the lure of

several hundred yards,

yards.

beautiful

She flew in earnest for half a mile, and quite out of sight.

The pigeon beat " Feb.

made a

a powerful pigeon, from the stone bridge in Boughton

flight after

Park.

Turned

Very cold N.W. wind.

in Northamptonshire.

26. Pearl killed

Drove

bar pigeon after a flight of a few hundred

into a ditoh,

and strangled

And then— March

unsuccessful flights.

under the bank, from whence

it."

Then came a few

Pearl drove her pigeon

The pigeon was picked up

into the water, after striking it down.

flights again.

brilliant stoop

over some high trees."

dared not move."

—"March 18. An excellent

Then

Unsuccessful Pearl followed

flight.

very close, and the birds went quite out of sight, taking over Dainty's Fields for Weekly Hall

view by running. striking the pigeon

she came back to

Her

jesses

Wood.

I could not

Pearl evidently killed;

when

I last

saw her.

was

repeatedly

After an hour's waiting

to Dainty's Field, from

whence she

and talons were oovered with wet blood.

the pigeon afterwards, but could not find

wood."

keep them in

she was

;

started.

I hunted for

probably killed in the

" I flew Pearl almost every day since the last acoount

written, at pigeons or to the lure, but latterly at larks.

chased these birds into the sky

till

she was often

all

She

but lost to

view, always coming back beautifully to hand, though I kept her

high fed, as the moulting time had almost commenced."

day—April 23—1

lost her

There; perhaps that will do

this

The

last entry is disagreeable to

even now.

One year my young merlins roosted on the

trees of a small

dump

HOW

BECAME A EALCONEB.

which had one rook's neat, rookery,

or,

I spared the birds

time.

when they

and hatched, and they rewarded me by persecuting

built, laid,

merlins, then only just able to fine

was some little distance from the

might hare been a carrion orow's nest, for my ornithology

was not very general at that i

fly,

and by pecking out the eye of a

female bird.

At that time

was merlin-mad, and would have given up a day's

pheasant shooting for one ringing

flight at

I did something

a lark.

with sparrowhawks, but not very much, for the others took

time.

Presently " Falconry in the British Isles " was published,

Northumberland friend being one lithographs being of his

own

execution,

This book increased

drawings.

soon made a

first

the authors

;

the admirable

and taken from

his

and

zeal for falconry,

own

I very

I began with a tiercel

essay with the peregrine.

sent to me from Scotland, and, though he was not a good one, thanks

no doubt

in a measure to myself, I

began to prefer

enthusiastic than ever. birds,

It appeared to

me a

made, as I thought, for the use of

—should

dog are made

hawk

great injustice that

man— as

the horse and

be tortured in traps, killed at the eyrie,

outlawed, treated as vermin

out the kingdom.

this

In short, I was more

either of the other species I have named.

;

in short, hunted to death through-

knew that they were

bold, dashing, tractable,

capable of some attachment, excellent in their beauty, surpassing all creatures in their swiftness

princes of the I

had

that they were, after

the aristocracy of the things that

them out

of the clouds to

" dominion over the fowls of the air." ;

stood

of all

the very

Moreover,

;

And

how, in times as hearty as

once were first

all,

fly.

my feet I had reared them, made them my servants and my friends. In them I had

called

fed them,

air,

;

remembered what they

these,

and more noble, they

amongst the instruments of the chase.

thought I would defend them.

almost smile

now

at my notion

HOW

BECAME A PAIiCONEK.

that there was a chivalry in this, for which I should be thanked.

But

I felt that they

and

sight,

were discarded only because they were out of

I wished to bring

them back again, to place them

thoroughly before the gaze of others.

my own

think that, with

was sanguine enough to

pen, I could give

them once more a place

in the world. I failed. I did not sufficiently take into consideration the physical

change which has, in the the country. truth

last

remember this singular

that sport in Britain, especially in England,

old, permitted to

depend

chiefly

uncertainty, and skill, but love of slaughter result with

means.

hundred years, passed over the face of

Neither, perhaps, did I enough

—artificial

upon

toil,

not

now

as of

courage, endurance,

the child of ease and luxury, and the

in its appliances,

and looking to the

a grasping eagerness which ought to belong only to the

——

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

CHAPTER SPORT

—HAWKS

II.

GAME PROM THE LAND

FRIGHTENING

PERMISSION TO FLY AT GROUSE I

can

quite understand those persons

mere pastime up to a certain point

To me

them.

was sport to

the sky after a lark

CLOTO.

who say that

falconry is a

thongh I don't quite believe

a cast of merlins

fly

up into

right

But I confess that I have modified many For instance, I have

opinions in the matter of falconry. sure changed

;

—BLACK

even to see a pigeon taken by a merlin when

;

the flight was good.

see

my notions

a mea-

with respect to the love of the peregrine

That a hawk, I believe now, bred on a grouse moor, takes

for grouse.

to this quarry naturally, and with delight

and what I

shall ever retain is only

grand institution of nature;

and

this,

and what

;

—that

she,

I retain is

on the whole,

looking at the

matter

entirely from a shooter's point of view, because she strikes out

stamps

disease,

it out,

when

first it

shows

its

hideous head upon

the moors.

But

can now understand those persons who look on falconry,

certain point, only as a pastime,

up to a

head somewhat changed blackbirds itself

still

notions being on this

can see that the killing of larks and

an occupation which possibly can hardly claim for

hold,

done this way or

and ask every true sportsman to hold with me,

this truth, viz., that killed in the chase, is

the distinguished terra of " sport," be

—I

that

—

when game

(or

a large bird such as a heron)

by creatures tatored by man to pursue

it,

there

"sport." I look

them, a

back to little

my merlin

days,

much

as I like to look back on

as upo,n one's schoolboy days.

Merlin-flying is

— ;

HOW

62 sport

pnt

BECAME A FAI,CONEK.

but not, perhaps, an accepted sport.

;

am quite oontent

it so.

But the peregrine ; the goshawk

many

years ago

" It

A great falconer said to me

very well our saying this and that

is all

merlins are enchanting, most wonderful in what they do

And

the bird for us."

about it

the peregrine has certainly been the bird for me.

And

;

yet

it is

just because one part of faloonry is little

a pastime perhaps, while the other part find

Go beyond

difficulty.

more than

a thorough sport, that

the pastime, deal effectively with

the larger hawks, and you come to something serious. flies

sparrowhawks and merlins, he will want time,

want

patience, skill,

and so on

;

but the

;

I don't wish to make any bones

peregrine

it is

a man

true —he will

but he will not want expense nor

preserved land ; neither will he create jealousies, running the risk

And yet, when you have flown

of engendering quarrels.

the smaller

birds, ten to one you are not content without flying the larger

that

is, if

knew

you have anything

like the opportunity.

all

know,

many tributaries on its way.

strength in its progress, and receives If

once, that the stream, so small at its source, acquires

a man has no land of his own

fit

for

hawking game

on,

and

does not intend to rent any, I think he should content himself with the small hawks.

do not in this instanoe practise what I preach,

as I shall show presently

but I know how

;

that the presence of the peregrine drives positive that

does not

mission to hawk, or

who

;

but

almost impossible to calculate. it

game from

to be on the land at

not tolerate

it in

per-

all.

the least

;

his

to ask

you

;

but do any-

manor, and you are certainly not

could not excuse this myself it is

which

Shoot for him sometimes, and

may even answer to him

thing to drive the

gives you the privilege unsolicited, thinks

does,

welcome—and

belief is

man from whom you ask

you are reoeiving a favour from him, the extent

fit

the

common the

game from the land.

not in

human

;

could

nature, nor neces-

HOW

BECAME

FALCOITEB.

sarily in gentlemanlike courtesy, to permit it for

therefore, I think, as a rule, that the

man who

And,

a moment.

has not game of his

own, had better have nothing to do with the peregrine. I never flew the artificial

They

lie.

ground.

tell

that

I don't know.

don't deny

it,

hawk when

it drives,

I don't

make the

deny

;

I simply don't know.

me on his word

as I have seen nothing of the sort, and as those

may

birds

because I can't refuse to receive what any gentleman,

or any honest keeper or labourer, tells it,

shooting, to

at any rate, partridges from the

But there

possibly be mistaken.

don't care about

and

;

I don't

;

who

something else

know

asBert it

—I really

have flown

I don't care about it beoause I

—industriously for nearly

the peregrine falcon pretty often at game

a dozen years

—and (by

some

sort of acoident, I suppose, for I

not such an idiot as to claim anything

which

and

have hawked rather specially

this

many

different counties in

—probably

the following belief I

England.

game than

full of

shooting,

There

otherwise,

nothing in this

me but

fancy has run away with

;

ready solemnly to set my hand.

at one time a couple of

have found the land on

both in a particular part of a particular manor, and in

claim nothing

That

else) I

men were

and at another time a couple

;

It is this

to pass over a

men were to

moor

pass over

the same moor hawking, there would not be the smallest difference in the frights

lemd

which the game had received, aB far as

is concerned.

The birds are there the day

as they are the day after shooting lie

leammg the

the only difference

that they

better after the former than after the latter sport.

And yet game Perhaps if

;

its

after hawking, just

so.

the fact

driven from the ground by the

artificial

The onus is hardly with me, one way or

is certain,

But

maybe, I can only suggest, what indeed I

saw suggested some years ago, that the buzzard or the hen

—snatching

hawk

another.

prey from the ground or close to

harrier

as they do, rather

than chasing— may cause some birds to get up in the distanoe, and

HOW

BECAME A FALCONEK. mind

so lead to the notion in the sportsman's

room is not unlike

either of these hawks.

circumstances can

I have not

control on which I can

Park, for

;

That under no possible

am very certain. my own, nor any under my I am indebted to an excellent

hawk a

grouse.

who has the Buxton Moors

and to

;

an excessive fright

look like a peregrine falcon, I

a single yard of ground of

friend of mine, tion

heavy apparatus which I once saw in a friend's gun-

for the slow,

many

for

a kind invita-

Swythamley

friend Philip Brocklehurst, Esq., of

special permission to fly

And Mr.

limited lands here.

peregrines over certain

Brocklehurst must forgive

me if I

tell

any of the readers of The Field, who have cared to look through

what at any time owe

far

may have

amused them.

I should not

from home for an hour's less

said about jrouse-hawking, that they

more to him than to myself the information which has have cared to take

flying,

but I can get a

than two hundred yards from

house

my birds very far flight at

grouse in

and what I have so

;

constantly had the opportunity of doing myself, and have done, I

have been able to describe to others.

Soon after I flying at I

thought

reaohed

;

which at

first

very shy, and not good-

kind tutor in faloonry, of

just as he

was able to

when the

for,

though

bird it

fly

knew the

little.

lure,

and

One

of the other

this is

an awkward

too young to care for a live pigeon in a

may be

able to fly only a

dangerous as a mile, and more provoking, within two or three yards of the thirty.

tiercel,

But he was given me by

had escaped before

accident string

real earnest with the peregrine, I had,

have already spoken, who got him from Lundy Island.

tieroels

work in

He seemed

little of.

tempered.

whom

set to

hack with three or four more, a dark

little,

the

that

hawk he immediately

My patienoe, after much trial,

little is

moment you flies

get

almost

was rather like Mr. Dickens's

brandy-and-water when, on board ship, he followed his Bick wife up

and down the saloon with that restorative

for a quarter of

an hour,

;

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

as she rolled helplessly with the movement of the vessel from one

end to another

there was hardly a teaspoonful left at last.

bird would not look at the lure, graced though steak, even at the distance of a

few yards.

the only thing to do in such a case.

was with

The beef-

what

I did, therefore,

I fastened another peregrine

to the ground within easy sight of the truant, gave him a lure (fastened also), and, close net.

to,

The stray bird nodded

opened them again, and eating from the lure.

would

be,

pegged down some beef under a bow-

his head, opened his wings, shut them,

flew'

From

down

to the peregrine which

that lure he was driven, as I

by the feeding bird

he shifted easily to the meat under

;

the net, and I had him in an instant.

down

to do the dirty

disliked

;

work

The peregrine which I

of a decoy bird

was the black

tied

tiercel I

the black tiercel was afterwards " Black Cloud," and Black

Olond was one of the best peregrines I ever had in killed in Somersetshire, partridge hawking,

my life. He was

by a man who threw a

stick at him, not knowing, I believe, that he

was a trained bird

but I had the feeling of injustice so strong upon that I

was

knew he

at the time

afraid I told the keeper, should the opportunity ever

present itself, to take particular pains with that man's

ribs.

I remember well the first time I began to suspect that Black Cloud

was a

treasure.

the rest ;

was a windy day, and he was

they were playing together.

see the hawks

play.

flying at

hack with

a beautiful sight

—in

them

short,

behaving not unlike

But, on the wing, they dash about, and

each other, which are most adroitly avoided.

make stoops

the highest of all,

moved about like a swallow. that he would be the bird

;

his speed wonderful; but

and

and came down the

came in so

His pitch was

he was then a wild

bird.

Black

fastest

perfectly delighted,

he was.

All this, of course, is

Nature's teaching for something more serious presently.

Cloud shot up

it is

Even on the ground they are amusing, catching

pieces of stick and dropping kittens.

And

and

;

said

excellent,

I only gave

HOW

Once taken up, he soon came to himself,

him a fortnight's hack. and was remarkably tridges, waiting

one grouse

— an

BECAME A FALCONEK.

He was

docile.

old one

I once

not often to be depended

tiercel is

;

for this quarry.

He killed

—and, had I accustomed him to that flight,

might have taken to grouse but a

very good at pigeons and par-

on for"any length of time, and very high.

saw him take a skylark.

He had been

waiting on a long time for partridges, and became tired, perhaps

out of temper

down from for

;

a lark rose, and he had

hiB pitch like lightning

he went quietly to a

tree,

;

moment coming

in a

but I never touched the quarry,

and ate

it there.

was

flying in

country where hawking was unknown, and I shall never forget the

open-mouthed stare of some passing labourers to whom, on the same day, I pointed out this

would

hawk

in the air,

like to see that large bird

and asked them

hand.

thinking probably that I was an amiable maniac

up the

lure,

on which he dropped at

my feet,

;

they

They grinned,

but when I tossed

took him up, fed, and

hooded him, I almost think, " after they had looked a great while," they changed their minds and suspected

of sorcery.

——

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

OHAPTEE

fir

III.

STORM CLOUD — THE PRINCESS — ISLAY— NEARLY BLINDED

AN APPEAL TO THE GENEROSITY OF SPORTSMEN. Strange

may

seem, the real difficulty with whioh the inex-

perienced falconer has to contend

is,

not the taming a hawk, but

the managing the training in such a

way that

the bird shall

A hawk

quarry eagerly and in the most effective manner. at once to the lure, from a

nestling,

may

even

flew,

flock of pigeons, not taking the smallest

This was a peregrine

them.

notice of

hand, you

made "

at a pigeon on

Such a bird was once sent to me, and

when hungry, through a

fly

and never shown quarry for

some months, would probably never even look the wing.

so fly a

hawk

tiercel.

the other

at quarry, especially I think at

game, killing day after day, and feeding the hawk up from the head and neck of the grouse or partridge

—that

course added

stantial being of

to have

any

obliged to

when

some

my most

successful

falcons,

them on the game, with a

I did not happen to find

At the same

pigeon in a string.

subcease

Indeed, I confess that I have been

attractions.

take down

—something

the dead lure will

time, I have

had birds

live

—such

as the Princess and Storm Cloud (not Black Cloud, but a falcon)

which would come to a dead lure

in the middle of their best

and yet these were brilliant birds. with docility

;

and

remind

because had they not been

have been nothing.

hawk

only because

fast quarry also

;

They

work

;

curiously combined success

readers that they were brilliant,

so, their

coming to the dead lure would

Never, I would say to a young falconer, buy a it

comes well to the lure

;

see it fly quarry,

and

but this advice I gave by implication just now,

r 2

HOW

when

BECAME A FALCONER.

tiercel that flew

mentioned the

through a flock of pigeons

without noticing them.

Storm Cloud was shot by a oonfess she

day the Prince

off

one of his pigeons

Wales was married, or the day

her to a bird-stuffer, and had the hardest for he

— —on the

some miles from here

ruffian,

was in the act of carrying

work

before.

I traced

to get her from him,

had been threatened with an action at law by the shooter

he allowed anyone to take her out of the shop. I took the inspector of police with me, in order to give the thing a formidable appearance,

and claimed my property, which I assured the swear

to,

because a rascal had robbed "

will

spend

51.

it," said

of .its ohief value

Storm Cloud

stuffer of

my property viz.,

the

life.

the bird-stuffer to me, "before he

her skin," I replied to the bird-stuffer.

now as

—

" And I will spend five-and-twenty before I lose even

will let it go.

skin.

bird-stuffer I could

and which certainly had not ceased to be

is stuffed

ended in

my eyes

for

the

a moment

off

and

I see

her

the paper on whioh I

the f aloons in the Great Exhibition of 18S1

I take

my having

by the famous Mr. John Hancock, the ;

writing.

She was the only exoellent peregrine I ever saw come

hand from a great liked.

distance,

fairly to

and yet she ate just as much as she

A brute that would look at nothing but the lure might easily

be made to do so

;

but Storm Cloud would come out of the sky to

my hamd, not flying over and striking, but this with half

a crop before she oame.

settling

most gently, and

She was a most excellent

rook hawk, no discouragement, such as the quarry escaping in trees, daunting her is difficult

;

for

and she was equally good at grouse and pigeons. a person who

shock whioh the news of such a bird's death gives one. only lost two days.

not a falconer to understand the

We were on

She was

her traok and close to her, and

should have undoubtedly had her in a few hours, had the information that I

had

offered

two guineas to anyone who would only show

— ;

HOW me

her to

BECAME A FALCONEK.

and uninjured reaohed the pigeon

at liberty

Time changes

one's notions,

and heals

all

manner

need not say ; but then I would have gone to the

my horse, and The

life of

fact of a peregrine coming to

Merlins and sparrowhawks do

when she has been lost on a from a stone wall

by simply placing leg or some such

—her

it,

saw

it,

hand at

all is

quite exceptional.

and so do goshawks. The Princess,

her feet, perhaps with a pigeon's

but she never came straight to hand

;

remembered through rising of

Storm Cloud.

lure.

see this little falcon

wing (she was small, as Storm Cloud was

ward at the

taken out

grouse, I have taken in the afternoon

from the distance, only to the

freshly

stable,

crop standing out like a pouter pigeon's

my hand under trifle

fanoier.

wounds, as I

my own hand,

shot him through the head with

doing so I eould have saved the

life.

From

large)

on the

was a thing

to be

a high pitch she shot for-

a grouse, at a rate which startled those who

and was even greater than May's ; though the extraordinary

success of the latter falcon, her almost unequalled speed, and her

adroit footing, I suppose,

which I have trained. I never killed

at least equal to any other

most

hawk

I shall speak of her presently.

a hare with the peregrine, though I have seen

enough to know that

What the

make her

may be done with

Princess liked best

cast of these birds.

was a grouse ; next to that a pigeon

at rooks she was nothing remarkable; but one day she took to flying hares in the

most astounding manner.

saw her

strike »

hare, I think, twenty times in a succession of stoops, only stopping

when the hare

squatted, which she did frequently.

came down and grappled, and when

last she

I arrived, scarcely able to

breathe with the exertion of running, hoping that for once in life

within seven or eight yards of

up very like

—when I was, in fact, quarry—the hare jumped

I might take a hare with a peregrine

hawk and

high, pitched off the Princess,

grim death, and disappeared down a

who was hillside,

trying to hold on

the

hawk stooping

HOW

again

till

BECAME A FALCONER. The

they were out of sight.

faloon's feet

was

all of

fur which I pulled off the

the hare I ever really touched.

She

I lost the Princess only once before I lost her altogether.

had flown through two grouse seasons, and never leave

me for many hours

thought she would

had

at a time, as she never

which, like other

one day she took

hawks I have had it

exaotly a fortnight.

and then

head to disappear and stayed away

was not in the neighbourhood.

(fat as ever

;

went out with a

though she was) in an instant to

I fancy a snow-storm had sent her home. at length I really lost her, I have no doubt she

excellent

me two

But

of late, she always came.

was a cry of a falcon over the house

and she came

my feet. When

field,

I had kept relays of pigeons out for ten days,

I gave her up, for she

last there

pigeon,

into her

me.

left

she was out for the night, there was a pigeon in the

and noble friend of mine saw her

was

last flight,

shot.

and sent

peregrines from Scotland as soon afterwards as he could.

have her photograph— a very good one ; but that of the Princess

—except,

indeed, the

we have spent together on the see her onoe more, even

if it

hills,

memory

is all left

me now

of those bright

days

and the great wish that I could

were only as she dashed across this

with a thing like a dark ball twenty yards before her, making

valley,

my heart

leap as she went.

I pause for

a moment in this

little history, to

the being wedded to one special sport takes others.

For myself,

say

am not now quite in that

have cooled down a good deal of

late,

and I think

my birds than I am of the

how thoroughly

away the enthusiasm for predicament, for I I

am almost fonder

of the

memory

I like

a day's pheasant shooting very much indeed

sport of falconry itself. :

with

all

honest regret that sport has lately taken a phase of which I disapprove, I like a gun and a covert full of pheasants.

not I

Who does

make a

point of mentioning this sort of feeling, because

who

;

HOW

BECAME A FALCONEK.

ask so much sympathy for if I

ignored

To me

it.

in uncertainty, in

employment

my own notions,

should be inconsistent

charm of sport rests in

the great

some labour,

anticipation,

in the necessity of expedients, in the

of animals trained to the chase

;

and

I protest against

the loading and firing as fast as you can taking a high place in sport

;

but I won't deny that I like the opportunity of doing so once

While hawking was with me a positive

or twice in the year.

passion, I should not have admitted this

But, strong as

it.

indeed, I did not feel

opinions remain as to what ought to be,

what

occasionally dazzled with

is.

I rather wanted an opportunity of being understood in this matter, for I should shrink

that

the world

all

from being

I shall go

alone right.

set

on with

subject

myself, now that I can seem to offer

not at

is certainly

all

as a coxcomb

who

thinks

much more

agreeably to

experience of a sport which

remunerative as far as the bag

simply for what that sport

ooncerned,

worth.

a concentrated excitement

down

wrong, and that he and his few friends are

one of the elements of sport, a

flight after

important quarry has one of those elements in perfection.

And

there

an old stager now

the room in which I excitement enough in year-old

season

falcon,

others

May, a

three-

know

was.

This

and therefore waiting in point of

is,

ing she has only passed through two all

under the shed not far from

who has given me and

all conscience.*

her fourth, that

sitting

writing,

Not a gun was

her fourth grouse

for

time

point

of fly-

—last year having been what

fired

nor a

hawk

flown on these

moors, t In the year 1865, 1 rather thought matters were coming to an end

with

;

had an attack of

the summer.

pleurisy, or

One hawk, and one

This hawk

is loat.

some

pleuritio affection, in

only, a falcon,

The year

was

flying at

hack

of the grouse -disease, 1867.

HOW

my room,

I had not left

nearly six weeks

and scarcely

and

;

BECAME A FALCONER.

reported,

and

a long time, especially with a hawk

this is

Her

lightly belled as she was.

my bed, when she had been out

entire absence for

two days was

was determined she should be taken on the

first

At four o'clock one morning, in most beautiful

opportunity.

weather, I looked out of the window, and saw this falcon quietly

feeding in the bow-net which had been set on the lawn.

some

I put on

went down, and caught her at once, and I am very glad

things,

I did, for I took

no harm by the imprudence, and the hawk was

Islay.

Many

hawks, which turn out well in the end,

The Princess rose

few weeks. mine at

;

but,

first.

up high

She

remember

a full-sized bird, and

is soft

a peregrine intended for game a,

pitoh

;

sort leaves the ground.

;

she throws

when the time comes.

fly

;

but she keeps well over the

moment a fly fast

feather of the right

to escape such a

very fast I need not

when they get away from such

Princess, they do not save their lives

they are often

of.

ready, with two or three rapid strokes,

Grouse need

that they do

often, but they do so

get

only about eighty yards, though she will

to put herself into full swing the

readers; but

rule,

she don't go up then, one begins

strainB every nerve

heads of the beaters, and

;

and warm, generally brings out

occasionally rise a quarter of a mile

as this

first

hawks

what she was made

bird whose heart is set on grouse

away no chance, and

Her ordinary

other

hawks, as a

little

to begin with. I soon saw, however,

Islay is

low for the

rightly, Islay did not get to her pitch just

windy day, when the wind

to fear.

fly

many

at once, as did

tell

by speed. They get away very ;

hawk

birds as Islay or the

by dashing into cover there, in a

safe, as it is

many

difficult

thing to

hilly country,

mark the exaot spot

of their concealment.

Islay has her faults

had positively none.

;

the other hawks whioh I have mentioned

She

the only bird ever in

possession,

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

that attempted to injure me.

was done grouse-hawking.

had

just lifted her on the quarry, and was turning the grouse so that

the

hawk might not

eat the breast, but confine herself to the head

and neck, when unfortunately diately she flew at

both

feet, giving

my face,

my hand. Imme-

slipped out of

and there clung

me both torture and

little fiend

with

Fright, because I

fright.

was

afraid lest she should change her hold, providentially not in either

all

her claws, and made the places swell.

eyes as yet, and so blind

for

She drew blood with

life.

I caught hold of her legs,

one with each hand, but she wonld not loose. One of

my boys,

how-

ever was near, and he put the grouse close to her, to which she

moved from my

I ought to have seized her

face.

once ; she would then have changed her hold to to save herself from strangulation.

by the neck

my hand,

in order

I think it very unlikely that

she will attempt anything of this kind again, and of course I careful that she has no provocation. The best way with her lift

the grouse at

all,

but to take her

something of that kind, secure a has also the bad

jesse,

off it

she

from not being

Mil grouse with, however

and then you are

I have years,

able

;

now picked

and

not to

off

She

safe.

her game as

this is only the case

—and I suppose that

localities,

back

sufficiently sharp-set.

her against any trained bird in the world.

knowledge of

on a pigeon's wing, or

fault of occasionally stepping

you approach her with your hand, though is careless

when

As a hawk

the point

—I will back

She has also a wonderful

never lost.

out of hawks, spread over the space of some

two or three which seemed

and, though no doubt I could

fill

speoially

—believing

other peregrines, I forbear

good and remark-

pages with the histories of that the reader has had

quite sufficient already.

In another chapter I hope to give a few anecdotes, and, in a

and

last, to

say something about

fifth,

doings with the goshawks.

will not, however, lay down any particular rule for the order in

HOW

which I may write

BECAME A FALCONER.

experiences.

These are professedly desultory

and one had better perhapB wait for the convenience

chapters, of the

Things strike one by the way.

moment.

The time is drawing near* when young birds will be

flying at hack,

and falconers are already making sure of materials to work upon in Let me advise beginners — and —to take every pains that the young it

the shape of nestling peregrines. is for

such chiefly that I write

birds are well and regularly fed from the time they are taken from

the eyrie

till

the

to the railway.

moment they are placed in the hamper and entrusted This can, of course, only be done by writing to the

keepers, or the dealers, into whose hands they at first fall

they reach the falconer he will know what to do with them. I

would not have them taken too soon

subject to cramp, and,

For is

my own part,

too

much

for

;

when' this

Also,

done they are

on one's nerves

screaming birds, though always

besides,

;

when

they escape it, they are generally screamers.

I can't endure a screamer, the jar

;

courageous, are seldom very high flyers.

Let

also, in this place,

ask any gentleman

who owns

the land

on which peregrines breed, or who has control there, to spare the old birds.

know

open to the

an impertinent one, for that I

retort, that the request is

asking a

will consider sacrifices in a cause with

that

is said,

concerned in

silent

affairs of

which he has no concern.

because I think myself that every

humanity and generosity ; but

that, in consideration of

if it is

man

If is

answered

a time-honoured sport, for the sake of those

glorious birds themselves, or that nature for

almost

man to make what he

may

rule

by her own laws,

time, the peregrines shall be spared this year at least, then I

think that a noble thing has been said, and one which will never bring regret with

to the heart of a British sportsman.

This was written early in the

summer

of 1868.

HOW

BECAME A PALCONEE.

CHAPTEE

IV.

SOME TRIFLING ANECDOTES. It

sometimes

and I confess

difficult

when one has made a promise

anecdotes which I intended to at finding

stance its

them

may

so trivial,

and so few and

strike one as singular

occurrence, which,

ordinary enough.

it,

A circum-

far between.

and worth relating at the time of

when looked back upon, may appear bald and

In fact, I must not confine myself in this chapter

to strict anecdote, or I shall I once lost

to fulfil

my mind the hawking offer my readers, I am disappointed

that, having just turned over in

make only a few paragraphs

it.

a merlin for three months, and at the end of that time

was brought to me

in a basket, alive

and

having been

well,

captured, only a couple of miles or so from the house, in a rather singular manner.

I have mentioned the incident before, but so

long ag6 that perhaps

it will

Some

bear repetition.

of the farmer

lads about here set snares for fieldfares in the winter, after the

following manner; and in describing

it I

make no

quoting a few lines of what I wrote in 1859

thus

hesitation in

The snare

made

straight round piece of a branch is cut, from any tree of

tough wood, about two or three feet in length, and three-quarters of

an inch in diameter.

marks

Every twig

of the knife obliterated.

is carefully

At intervals

taken

of about

off,

and the

an inch and a

quarter small holes are bored with a nail-passer, into which are inserted the knots of black horse-hair nooses, each

made

of a length

of three hairs, doubled and twisted, so that the noose is of six hairs'

strength, except at the loop.

inches in diameter. knots,

make matters

The opened noose

perhaps three

Little pegs driven into the holes, over the

secure.

One end

of the stick is forked, the

HOW

other notched.

Two

BECAME A FALCONER.

small bunches of mountain-ash berries are

fastened to the stick, some

under the nooses.

now

hang

selected in a spot

a forked branch of the tree

and foroed to bend apart a

may receive, when On one

distance apart, and so as to

rather naked tree is

frequented by the birds cleared of twigs,

little

found,

in order that it

little,

released, the inserted snare with a tight embrace.

of these snares

been a purer accident.

my merlin was caught

nothing could have

There was no bait which could attract him,

unless he mistook the berries for

raw meat, which

very unlikely.

Of course, I expected to hear that some small bird was hanging in one of the nooses, and that the hawk came to him ; but no such thing," tree,

—and so on.

The fact

is,

the

hawk happened

to settle in the

and chose what he thought was a horizontal, and therefore a

comfortable, bough

that bough was the snare, and the capture was

certainly curious, as the chances against such

must have been very considerable indeed. by the

legs.

thing occurring

Of course he was caught

This bird was on the wing again, and flying larks for

me, only a fortnight after he was taken. It is well

known how

birds pursued

by a hawk

will

room through an open window, or even through the

dash into a

glass.

have

had one or two windows broken by pigeons in making their escape, and a ring-ouzel was once taken by a merlin of mine as it flew against the pane without breaking

it.

That merlin was at liberty about the

house for weeks together, and would come to hand whenever I

opened the window and called her with some food.

I used to take

her into the room, feed her, and then let her go again.

Two

rather singular terminations of a flight occurred to

pigeon-flying, and- one with grouse.

pigeon— out

of the

The

looked in vain for some time

flight

till

had flown the Princess at a

game season— and felt

somewhere near the house. I

sure that she

had

killed it

was only about half a mile.

the bell guided

me to the hawk

shed, under which the pigeon had dashed fir safety,

and there was

HOW the falcon eating

BECAME A FALCONER.

own block,

olose to her

so that anyone passing

would have thought she was fastened by her leash in the ordinary

The end

way.

of another flight with another

somewhere near a farmhouse

came out to say that the the " parlour." olose together

And

hawk, was I knew, ,

and, after some search, an old

;

man

was eating a pigeon on the table in

falcon

The two

so she was.

birds

must have flown

up the narrow entrance-passage, turned through an

open door to the

left,

and got into

this

many

of these "parlours" are, except

Some

of us

And unused

unused room.

on very grand occasions.

rqmember Albert Smith's description

of the

same

sort

rooms in Broek, into which the mistress of the house went every

Saturday, when she rubbed, polished, dusted, washed, and cleaned in every possible way, then put the key into her pocket,

opened the door

The grouse

and never

that day week.

till

dashed into a room of this house,

I spoke of simply

through an open window, and was taken.

saw the

flight,

and was

afraid the falcon would strike the house in her rapid progress

birds were

making

for the middle of

adroitly shooting

up the

it,

;

both

and the hawk escaped injury

side when she

was within a few yards

the stones. I once took

up a falcon which

a pigeon in each foot.

I found, at the

This, like

end of a

flight,

with

many other things, would be won-

derful indeed without the explanation, and, like them, very simple

when

it ia

given.

The

flight

ended in

the dovecote pigeons, seeing the

with the proper quarry;

my coach house, into which

hawk coming, had dashed together therefore,

all,

were no doubt huddled

together in a corner, and the hawk's second foot was hardly intended

to grasp the second pigeon. It is not

uncommon with some few falcons

or to strike the dog,

had

my wideawake

who began

game

carried from

to dig her claws into

to knock your hat

not found soon enough

my head by a female it

when she got

;

off,

and I once

sparrowhawk,

on the ground.

—

HOW

BECAME A FALCONEK.

To show what wind a hawk may be got

may mention that

into

by oonstant

of mine, after flying

saw a falcon

them

eagerly for several minutes, after leaving

for

flying, I

some kestrels

a grouse, which

she lost in a wood, after flying a rook over a long space of open

ground and losing head,

and

fly

was Maid

a two-mile

kill

in cover,

And May

the Mist.

flight.

came baok, and from a pitch over

a grouse which I sprung from under my feet.

once killed an old cock grouse after

In this latter instance, however,

my only wonder is,

that anything could possibly live before Islay for that space

her foot without a blow (not an

uncommon

grouse) once or twice in the flight,

would dash

little

I have twioe

people

left of

It took us

easily.

hawk on this

occasion

an hour and a

and she was even

the grouse, with a very full crop indeed.

had peregrines sent home in a basket by well-meaning

who managed

that the

thing with experienced

and so put the hawk out ; getting

wings when she was quite low, he

and too near the ground to do so

then on what was

and I

leaving her to get into her swing again,

off at full speed,

half, I think, to find the

supposing that the old grouse fell under

can only explain the fact by

up again with his quick

This

to catch

hawks were

lost,

them on

their quarry, and, imagining

though they were doing

me a

servioe.

After a time, however, the neighbourhood understands one's ways indeed,

these

some of the people become respectable falconers

little

diffioult

accidents don't happen.

thing to look pleasant

the wing and (hot)

tail.

Still, if

when one

no feather

is,

;

and then

I need hardly say, a

sees the bent feathers of is really

broken, " a

little

water clears us of this deed."

One morning, looking out

my bedroom window to find my five my surprise, six on the

merlins, which were at hack, I counted, to

garden wall.

The stranger was a nestling bred on some

moors near, I suppose, though I can never hear of a nest

ashamed to

say,

I put out a merlin

so bungled matters that

on a block in the

field,

;

of the

and, I

did not catch her.

and thus frightened her,

HOW

BECAME A FALCONEB.

A peg

though merlins are easy birds to oatoh. grass,

among the

buried

a round stone for a seat for the decoy hawk, a bow-net well

covered with a

such bird

;

little grass,

a small bird,

and the feathers of a thrush, or some

alive, if possible,

the snare mentioned above, cleverly set

under the net

—these

;

perhaps

things would have

given an acoount of the stray hawk, most likely.

The

difficulties

would have been to have kept the hack merlins away from the net,

and to have got a

most

likely

However, a dead one would

live bird in time.

have answered, and the only chance of preventing the

hack merlins from being troublesome would have been to gorge

them from the

Hawk

lures as

work when you don't ance of a bird.

—I

as possible.

sit all

must be

exciting

day in a mud hut waiting

I have to go through

and amusing

for the appear-

every year in a very mild

speak of taking young peregrines up from their hack.

form

Some

much

catching, I should think,

are taken most easily, even without a net, but others require

a long string and considerable

and then a falcon

lost

I only once

care.

had an

accident,

one of her claws, but she did not make a bird

any consequence.

not sure whether

take mice and cockchafers.

it is

generally

known that merlins

I have seen them catch both

are fairly hawked, and I think I have seen the

beak to his foot to kill or eat while he

all

bathing.

hawk put down

his

was upon the wing. Hobbies,

know, are great insect catchers.

Hawks

may

bird,

;

will

the latter

at haok, especially merlins, are very easily killed

At such a time they take

come,

and

kill it

little

when

notice of a stranger,

and

so disposed, within a few yards of a bathing

with a stone. I remember looking out of

my window

early in the morning some years ago, and enjoying the sight of

two hack merlins at

their ablutions in the brook.

Presently a per-

son with very scanty clothing and no shoes, a regular tramp, came lounging along.

Suddenly he stopped, and made a dead point for

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

an instant ; then he carefully lowered hia whole person, and pioked

up a I

stone.

made

stone,

In another instant his arm would have been

so unearthly a shout

lifted,

but

from the window that he dropped the

and walked forward with a briskness utterly foreign to his

nature, never turning his head for a

very good to hawks at hack

;

moment.

As a

rule,

people are

they like to see them play, and they

take an interest in the thing.

As I

I feared, at the opening of this chapter, would be the case,

have had nothing

in the

way

startling,

of incident

and I fear

little interesting,

and anecdote ; and

Besides, a thunder-storm is coming this way. terribly.

right

Let

when the

the flags.

me go first

lie

it.

It distracts one

out on the lawn and smoke

great drops come, and

to relate

glad to finish

;

I shall

all

as large as florins on

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

CHAPTER

thunder-storm passed over

19th of May, but

CHIEFLY ON THE GOSHAWK.

The

my neighbourhood on Tuesday, the

come

did not

well down.

The

first

lightnings

which I saw dimly in Derbyshire and Staffordshire scarcely

and when the rain reached

their promise;

weloomed with thankfulness and that

while

lasted

occupying a

;

was

was unlike them only

it lasts,

and

It is awful, but it is

livid-flickering fork,

claps

one sorrowing

in a third parti-

the charm of a storm begins with its anticipation,

continued while

over.

was

was indeed delightful

full half-hour in their delivery, leave

disappointed

like those sermons, so curiously rare, which,

that they are so short. cular ; for to

fulfilled

though

we were

blessings,

did not pour more thoroughly.

here,

consummated in the

relief

that

it is

most glorious, to be " dazzled by the

and deafened with the stammering cracks and

Till

now the

storm, its burst of passion spent,

Moaning and

calling out of other lands,

Had left the ravaged woodland yet once more To

peace.

I think to sit out of doors,

calling out of other lands,"

and to

when all

listen to that " is over,

moaning and

when the earth

smells

fresh from the rain, and all the sweetbriars and gillyflowers are alive with fragrance, is to pick out of existence, for our

enjoyment, some of I wrote

its

no more that evening, poor as the storm was.

for a tempest some day, to be more idle in still I had not done

great

most golden hours.

much to amuse,

Let us look

But I thought that

in the last of these chapters, those

—

HOW

who look

people

how

oonsider

BECAME A FALCONER.

them ; and that

might

I should

be only wise were I to

with something better

finish the subject

worth reading. This, I think, is the last article of anything like a series

on falconry.

shall write

whioh I

painfully conscious that I have

worn

the subject threadbare, and whether it be so or not, I write under Besides, I

an oppression in the conviction.

beginning to tire of

the place in whioh I have learned the greater part of certainly all the grouse-hawking part.

my lesson-

The incumbent of a wretchedly

poor living, who has been shut out of the world for twelve years, who

has lived

may

that time in what are called " the'wilds of Cheshire,"

well find an excuse for saying that he

with his

when hills

all

lot.

I first

I remember

came to

not altogether satisfied

revelled in the wildness of this place

how I

—how I thought that I cbuld never tire of the

and heather but the time has come when the wilderness begins ;

to seem too wild, and

when the

isolation

I should

becomes painful.

like to get back again to the midland or southern oounties ; I should

come a little nearer

like to

with regret several

f riendB

Not but that

civilisation.

me many glimpses

this place, have yet taken pains to give

—have and

—have

done more than that

genial.

struggle

;

My horse

let

worse

brings

who

passes

be thankful that I ;

definite,

to their houses, but not without a

them without

and a beast must be tripping.

not in a town.

but never quite absent, whioh piotures some good straggling

commerce with the offer

civilised world.

me such a living.

it is

possible to have a little

I wish

But can

some good Christian

more than Sisyphus, plaoe

the stone on the top of the mountain P It is the old tale Jovis.

However,

Matters might be

and one can't help having some hope or dream, not very

house near a small village, where

would

of sooiety

been most hearty, hospitable,

for these are not roads to trifle with,

sure-footed indeed

I should leave

here ; friends who, living some miles from

uetant leges

HOW I ought to apologise

BECAMK A FALCONER.

my history as

a falconer I have

in giving

become too biographical, and made generally personal.

Let me, however, avoid such an error in future

by going at once into the of this chapter

in the last paragraph, too

it,

—

viz.,

subject which

to ocoupy the greater part

that of the goshawks.

My first feeling about hawking was, I well remember, that I should like to carry

much

a bird on

was told that the height of

my hand

manner

after the

which would dash

of greyhounds

chief excellence of

its pitch,

and that the

out of the sky after

its

from the

off it

slips

;

on occasion,

and when

a peregrine consisted in the

glorions thing

quarry, I was very

was to see

much

start

disappointed.

thought I should never care for a system of flying which placed

The

the trained bird at such a distance from its master.

flying

a pitch seemed to me, when considered as a part of sport to an extent artificial flying

from the

fist,

—too like nature, and too

or " at the bolt " as

little like art

it is called,

from

—which is ;

while

had the charm

which I seemed to have sought in falconry, for there was the

disci-

plined animal positively leaving the touch of your glove to pursue

the flying quarry.

Perhaps I have not entirely overcome that feeling now, though I

a thorough game hawker, and consider a stoop from a great

height not only one of the finest and most invigorating sights in the world, but as the result of our art at

must not

forget, in all our worship of

its

very highest.

that in heron-hawking the falcon starts from the in that great sport there are numberless stoops

than in any other, except lark-hawking

from above. hawking;

still I

However,

sorry that I

bird, like the

fist.

—more,

—but the

know nothing

Of course, probably'

first flight is

not

practically of heron-

from beginning to end.

can realise

it all

first love,

and that perhaps

early days of falconry, finds its

Yet we

the peregrine after game,

home

in the

sparrowhawk and merlin, a 2

others in

their

goshawk; for this

starts

from your hand,

HOW

or.

BECAME A FALCONEB.

any rate from some tree near yon, at onoe after the'

quarry.

The lent

first

me for

goshawk I had here was not mine ;

was most kindly

a good many months—indeed I think for more than a

year—by a gentleman who

lives

near "Ware.

This was a fine female

and with a little blot in the yellow of

bird, injured in her plumage,

one of her eyes, whioh, however, did not in the least touch the sight, reached the pupil at

I killed

many rabbits with

nor do I think

her, both wild

and bagged, and one hare about three-fourths grown.

The account

all.

of that flight I gave fully in

History, and Practioe," and will not repeat

"Falconry:

its

Claims,

it.

goshawks, though of course showing sometimes the natural

snlkiness of disposition almost peculiar to the speoies, or shared

by the sparrowhawk, were uncommonly tame and amiable

with

birds

when

play with

in a

good humour.

my watch

The one of whioh I speak used to

chain, tossing the seal

and catching it, taking me by the button Another

bird, a female,

wall, fifty yards

off,

from her with her beak, a very familiar manner.

would come to hand eagerly from a tree or

when

in real flying order

frosty night, tucked her head under

home from a

;

and once, on a cold

my beard as I was

carrying her

distance.

But notwithstanding that goshawks properly trained to hand, I like to accustom

them to fly on occasion to the

for this reason ; the best bird

may be

of her present

trees,

hand

it is

;

and

when you took her

may possibly,

in the neigh-

plague you a good deal about coming directly to

then, having

no rabbit or pigeon with yon perhaps

that you will find the ordinary falcon's lure very useful.

oan almost always i.e.,

and

humour) sometimes a little deceive you, and

In this oondition she

bourhood of

come

lure,

amongst them may (good judge as you

not be quite in the flying order you expeoted

from the peroh.

will

tell

Still,

you

when a goshawk is in what they oall " yarak,"

simply in a good temper, decidedly hungry, and eager for

—

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

She gives two or three soreams at your approach ;

quarry.

sets out

her feathers, making herself look large ; has a most peculiar look in her yellow eyes

—a

sort of mixture of earnestness

and perhaps rouses

" prunes " herself as they call the opposite symptoms.

and amiability

It is of

—when

on your

Beware

glove.

has a wild eye with contracted pupil

;

she

she makes herself look

closing all her feathers tightly round her.

get a goshawk into " yarak " requires very considerable judg-

ment and

experience.

have her

full

quarry does

no use taking her from her perch if

she gives a chirping sound, very different from the scream

small,

;

and begins to pick her plumage

herself

power

;

She must not be under-fed, or she

and she wants

;

—that bird so

will

not

nor over-fed, or perhaps she won't look at the society as

much nearly

as the sparrowhawk

curiously, except in its length of leg, herself in

miniature. I never hooded these birds ; but I think

make them endure the hood moderately

in travelling, or

when very hungry, they

would be found useful well.

much

are

However, except better without

it.

Indeed, nothing whatever could be done with a goshawk which was

many hours

kept hooded

in the day.

This bird, I repeat, wants

—I mean the presence of

society to keep it in anything like order

and so

people, dogs,

on.

The

noise of sharpening a scythe, or of

carriage or cart wheels, too, drives

to dread them. sights

;

and I

But

wild

till it

learns

should be accustomed to

really don't

know whether

by habit not

all

manner

the neighbourhood of a

croquet-lawn would not be a good place for the bow-perch, though certainly not

till

the

hawk had been

players for some days, else it

But onee

in "yarak,"

work will do everything. fur on daily

the best food.

carried on the

would bate too

fist

close to the

violently.

no devices need be resorted to; simple Alternate beef-steak and rabbit with the One-third or more of a orop of one of these

—more rabbit perhaps than beef—with a gorge every

fifth

day

;

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

many birds) every fourth,

or (with

about what ought to be done to

And

get a goshawk into " yarak," as far as the mere feeding goes.

my own experience is

that they, and all hawks,

fly

best on the day

The

have had a moderate feed of fresh beefsteak.

after they

carrying which was required to get the bird in order, and was then

perhaps somewhat irksome, sport

when she

affair, Iceeps

I never

is in flying

of course, a necessary part of the

is,

condition, and, together with the

whole

her in " yarak."

had any experience with the jerfaloons ; and, next to the She

peregrine, I like the goshawk.

a most companionable

bird,

and can be flown in the most inclosed country, and where a perehave taken rabbits with these

grine would be of but little service.

birds in the open fields, in woods,

and amongst rooks, with and

without ferrets, and I oonfess to a great liking for the sport.

an inolosed and wooded country,

I lived in

these

hawks almost a necessary

They used,

I should think

life.

are soon broken to the ferret, especially

and

will wait with

one of

a curious patience

till

a white one

the rabbit bolts

then they leave the hand in an instant, and some

little

care is

necessary to ensure your not holding the jesses even one thought

In a wood,

too long.

have the next

you

flight

the

first

rabbit

missed, you will probably

from a tree in which the hawk has

will generally find that

one a

kill.

settled,

and

I think, however, I like the

open the best, where the rabbits are kioked out of rushes or tufts of grass

;

and, as I intimated in the

first

hawk

chapter, your

will

look most anxiously for the result of each kiok.

The best hold to get

of the rabbit is

one foot on the head, the

other well behind the shoulder, on the loins

on the rump. antipoda|

Most goshawks

made

the quarry

fly

possible

;

at the head, but I have

for time after time

;

almost sure to esoape.

and

this is

the worst

known the

most provoking, as

An old buok rabbit is no joke

even in the feet of a female goshawk, and must be held in the best

;

HOW The male

way.

bird

BECAME A FALCONEB.

too small for full-grown rabbits, and shonld

be kept entirely for pheasants,

young

landrails, water-hens,

The goshawk

partridges.

onoe thoroughly in the swing of

The best chance chance

very considerable.

pheasant, especially

its flight will

the

often beat

hawk

is in

—only the

with the hind

them when

hollow.

it.

head and shoulders. because there

legs,

a tree that

Undoubtedly too you may kill a passing

you are above

I never threw the hinder parts of a rabbit to a

perch

and perhaps

a very slow bird, and a pheasant

the rise, and

is at

the

goshawk on she

fist,

may be

its

fed

nothing very distinctive about

your hand.

I have spoken of flying from trees, and certainly the position

attained on a bough

better than that on the falconer's hand ; but

a young bird should be flown in the open. enough position to

kill

taking to trees, she

from, and

may tease your

life

hour at a time, utterly regardless of rabbit, however, or

a live pigeon

The

fist is

quite a good

a bird gets into the habit of

all

out by stopping there an

A live

your allurements.

in a string, if she has killed a

such pigeons, will bring her down, she being really hungry

;

few and,

unless she is hungry, as I said before, she has no business in the field at all.

No goshawk ever attempted legs

when she was on food

such

terrible feet

would be serious

inconvenience from them.

Still,

feel the necessity of being careful

;

flying at

a real squeeze from

but I have never suffered any

after the accident with Islay, I

with some of the larger hawks

and I had very much rather that a piece

my hand when a hungry goshawk was secured the jesses.

to injure me, except

at the bow-perch

of food did not slip out of

feeding upon

before I

had

I once thought of trying the male golden eagle

with hares and rabbits, but I don't care to run any risk ; neither, I think, would such a bird be safe with children.

say

that

very

little

children

should

not

Let me also

allowed

—

HOW

goshawk's

near a

BECAME A FALCONER. especially

bow-perch,

the bird

feed-

ing; for what would reach a man's leg might reach a child's faoe.

Perhaps I ought to

which a man has

say. that, in all probability,

will disappoint him.

the

Though very

first

goshawk

nice birds

when

well trained and in " yarak," they are most sulky and temper-try-

But carriage on the

ing at other times.

fist,

low feeding except

on gorge days (which must certainly not be passed over), a public position for.the bow-perch,

right

;

and when a man can

and then plenty of work, make them kill

all

with one bird three or four rabbits,

or even on occasion double that number, in a morning's walk, he will

think the result worth

Goshawks much.

an old

all

will stand a

I once

the initiatory trouble.

good deal of exposure to

cold,

but not too

—she

was

Both her

feet

had one dreadfully cramped in the winter

bird, too ;

but the winter was very severe.

were " doubled up," so to speak, and remained in that state

And a most

tried goose grease.

wonderful remedy

was

till ;

suddenly made her as nearly well as might be.

These birds

may be kept without muoh

rabbits are to be got for nothing.

some beef

of the best kind.

expense, especially where

most earnestly, however, advise

Eats, if fairly caught

suspicion of having been poisoned

the leg of an old hen

i.e.,

free from all

—are very well occasionally

a nice change.

;

and

The heads and necks

fowls which are used in the house should be reserved, unpluoked,

all falconers,

as they cost nothing, and are very respeotable food.

In no systematic way, subject to no particular dates, bit by I

have now told

seen

bit,

my friends " how I became a falconer." They have

with hawks of different kinds, bungling and disappointed

at the beginning, but quite as successful as I ever hoped to be,

towards the middle and at the end.

any stranger to the sport

should read these ohapters, and choose to falconry, he will have

make an attempt at

no reason to be disoouraged,

for I

have told

HOW

BECAME A FALCONER.

him the truth most strictly relating fell,

it.

—I hare not smoothed one difficulty in the

have only warned him against mistakes into which I

and which he may avoid.

And in

saying "

Good bye,"

I can only add that I shall always be

glad to help others, as I was helped years ago, by the friend to whom I referred in the first chapter of this series.

To that

friend I dedicate,

now that I am

saying farewell to

—because they, in

falconry on paper, these five chapters especially

some measure, record the

result of his instructions

;

and, indeed,

without his disinterested kindness at the beginning, which led to

our close friendship towards the end, I should not have been able to write anything at

all.

Printed by Horace Cox, 346, Strand, London.