[585] Jarda, evidently the purple heron. A few lines describing this species are omitted. The purple heron on the wing looks nearly as large as the common heron. It is, however, a feeble quarry; it is very slow in flight and is unable to shift from a stoop. The flesh is not as coarse or fishy as that of the common heron.
[586] A saker that kills purple heron will kill common heron. In any case a saker that has killed night-heron will take a train of the common heron without the back being garnished with meat.
[587] Vide note [474], page 112.
[588] It is very rarely indeed that a bagged heron will attempt to ring up. If once taken by a hawk, it will generally, when the hawk gets close to it, drop to the ground.
[589] It is always advisable to give “trains” flying, especially to sakers. Sakers do not, however, require flying trains of hubara.
[590] It is not necessary to tie meat on the heron’s back even for a saker, and most certainly not necessary when the hawk has already been flown at purple herons or night-herons. However, sakers are not spoilt by being given many trains as are peregrines: they do not easily become what Indians call bā,ūlī-band or “train-bound.” No matter how or where a train is given, hawks at once recognize that it is not an ordinary wild bird.
[591] A saker (unlike a peregrine) should not get a full feed of heron’s flesh, nor, generally speaking, of any water-bird’s flesh. Some sakers after a full meal of duck or heron will cast their gorge, sicken, and die. For some reason the flesh of the night-heron and of the purple heron is not injurious—at least I have never lost a saker by feeding one on the flesh of these birds. When entering a hawk to a difficult quarry, it is always advisable to kill at least one “train” under her, and to let her plume the feathers a little and eat some of the flesh: pigeons’ flesh may then be substituted. Vide page 188, note [789].
[592] Indian falconers also do this.
[593] “Nares,” a hawk’s nostrils.
[594] An exaggeration: an ell is 40 inches.