[302] Tisk may be the Short-toed or Social Lark. In Shiraz, however, tisk is the name of a warbler like a white-throat, called in Kirman turnusk, and also barādar-i bulbul, “the nightingale’s brother.” Sisk and tirnisk are names that are probably both applied to the same warbler.

[303] The Indian Grey Shrike (Lanius lahtora), called in the Derajat laṭorā and mamālā, used to be trained in Dera Ismail Khan to catch small birds. A smaller species called mamālī—probably the Rufous-backed Shrike, the harwājī of Kashmir (Lanius erythronotus)—does not appear to have been trained. Of the former Jerdon writes:—“Mr. Philipps states that he has seen it capture small birds; and that in the North-West, it is occasionally trained to do so. He also relates that it is sometimes picketed to the ground, closely attached to a starling, the neighbouring bushes, twigs, etc., being well smeared with bird-lime. All sorts of birds come to witness the supposed fight and to separate the combatants, and many are captured by the limed branches.”

CHAPTER XXVII
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

I have described to you the chief peculiarities of the “Yellow-Eyed” and the “Black-Eyed” birds of prey. I will now teach you a few matters that will make the masters of the Art of Falconry approve of this poor slave of the Shāh—May our souls be his sacrifice!

Term of Natural Life.—Know that the term of natural life of the birds of prey is considerable. In captivity they attain to twenty-five or thirty years at least—provided they remain in the possession of one man, a skilful falconer, and are not constantly changing hands. I myself kept a passage saker for twenty moults, and although it was not as good as it had been, still it continued to take quarry.

To distinguish the Age of a Hawk.—After a hawk has passed its fourth or fifth year, none can tell its age—except God and its owner. However, there are certain signs that mark a hawk of ten or fifteen years. First; it is short-winged.[304] Second; its feet and soles become full of wrinkles. Third; the two outside feathers of the tail, one on each side, called by the Arabs rudāfạ,[305] are shorter than the remainder, and the older the hawk the shorter these rudāfạ.[305]

Impossibility of Snaring Long-winged Hawks by Aid of a Lamp.—Never try to snare “black-eyed” hawks by aid of a lamp, for as soon as they see the light they will fly off. The “yellow-eyed,” however, with the exception of owls and birds that hunt by night, can be snared by means of a lamp, as will be described later.

Qualifications of a Falconer.—The first requisite in a falconer is patience. The second; that he be a sportsman and have a genuine love for his hawks, and fly them himself. Let him not say:—“I will take a lot of chukor; my master will reward me;” or, “Such and such quarry is unlawful for food (ḥarām); I won’t fly at it. What is the use of taking ravens and eagles? I’ll hawk chukor and seesee, and take them to my master; he’ll have them roasted, and will eat them in front of the fire and will reward me.” This ass is an ignoramus, and cares naught for hawks. Does he not know that if a short-winged hawk is flown on level ground, and wedded to large quarry such as ravens and duck and ruddy shieldrake and such-like, that it will in the hills with the advantage of gravity fly at the poor chukor all the better?[306] His object should not be money and rewards. He must be fond of hawks and hawking; he must know his business; he must be at heart a sportsman. The third; that he be good-tempered, pleasant-spoken, and of a cheerful and cheery countenance, so that the Good God may grant him his daily bread in abundance, and the quarry may come to him of its own accord. Let him be clean of hand, clean in person, and observant of the ordained prayers, so that God, who knows all, may not send him and his hawk home in the evening empty-handed. When mounting, the falconer should repeat the “Four Qul” and the “Holy Verse,” which is the “Verse of the Throne,”[307] and then exhale the breath on the person, so that the Munificent God may shelter from evil, him and his companions, guard his hawk from the persecutions of eagles, and send him home at night with a full bag and a happy heart. These are the requisites for a sportsman.

If He who made the game be not forgot,

The best of sport will ever be thy lot;