Reptiles and Birds / A Popular Account of Their Various Orders, With a Description of the Habits and Economy of the Most Interesting

by Louis Figuier

The bird is taken into a garden, and taught to hop up on the fist when called; a piece of meat is shown to entice it, which is not given to the bird until the requisite manœuvre is properly executed. The meat is then fastened to a lure, or decoy, and the same course is adopted, the bird being attached to the end of a string from ten to forty yards in length. The lure ([Fig. 293]) is a flat piece of wood, covered on both sides with the wings and feet of a Pigeon. The Falcon is uncovered, and the lure is shown to it at a short distance off, and at the same time a call is given. If the bird stoops upon the lure it is allowed to take the meat which is attached to it. The distance is progressively increased, and the Falcon is recompensed for its docility on each occasion. When, at the full length of the string, it will obey the call, a great point is gained, for it fully recognises the lure, and knows that the meat attached will become its own on returning to its master. Then the falconer no longer fears it becoming free, for he well knows he can reclaim it; that is, make it settle down upon his fist, even when the bird is flying in the air.

Afterwards it is introduced to living game by letting it fly at tied Pigeons; and, lastly, its education is completed by habituating it to stoop on the special game which it is intended to chase.

Supposing the game it is destined for pursuing to be the Partridge, in the first place, the Pigeon's wings on the lure are replaced by those of the Partridge, and then the Falcon is let fly in succession, first at Partridges tied to a string, and then at liberated birds. When it binds its prey well, and shows itself obedient, it is employed on wild game.

Birds of prey used to be educated for taking the Kite, the Heron, the Crow, the Magpie, the Hare, Partridges, Quails, and Pheasants; also Wild Ducks and other aquatic birds.

The pursuit of the Kite, the Heron, the Crow, and the Magpie, the profit of which was absolutely nothing, was looked upon as a sport fit for princes, and was carried on by means of the Falcon and Gyrfalcon. But the chase of other birds, in which the inducement was a prey fit for food, was considered the sport of an esquire; and for this were used the Hobby (Hobereau, French), the Merlin, the Kestrel, the Goshawk, and the Sparrow-hawk. Hence comes the nickname of Hobereau applied to French country gentlemen; "because," as Lacurne de Sainte-Palaye says, "they wish to show an appearance of more property than they really possess; and not being able to keep Falcons, which cost too much in their purchase and food, they hawk with Hobbies, which are readily procured, and also provide Partridges and Quails for their kitchens."

Fig. 293.—The Lure.

The most noble cast, but also the rarest, was that at the Kite. We have already mentioned, when speaking of nocturnal birds of prey, how at one time they were in the habit of alluring this bird by means of a Great (Long-eared) Owl, dressed out with a fox's brush. Some stratagem of this kind was obliged to be used in order to get near the Kite, which flies at heights altogether inaccessible to the best Falcon. When the Kite came within range a Falcon was let fly, and then a most interesting conflict took place between the two birds. The Kite, harassed by its enemy, and, in spite of its turns and twists and numberless feints, unable to escape him, generally in the end fell into its foe's clutches.

The cast at a Heron generally presented fewer incidents. This bird, from not being gifted with the same powers of wing, was unavoidably overtaken with much greater ease, although, when not overloaded with food, it occasionally managed to escape. Still it always defended itself with energy, and the blows of its formidable bill were often fatal to its pursuer. In Heron hawking ([Fig. 294]) a dog was required to flush the game, and three Falcons to capture it: the duty of the first was to make the quarry rise, of the second to follow it, and of the third to clutch it. We shall quote from an ancient author of a "Treatise on Falconry" the account of a cast at a Heron; the description will well explain the details of this kind of sport.