56 HABITS OF THE JERFALCON 



is trussed and the hunt is over ; but if a wing only is broken, the maimed bird is allowed to 

 flutter to the earth, and another is marked out for the collision of fleath. 



"It sometimes happens that the mountain crow comes in for the wounded game, but in 

 order to do so it must proceed stealthily along the ground, for woe betide it if it rises on the 

 wing and meets the glance of the Falcon. The raven himself never scoops out another eye if 

 he rises to attempt that one ; and it is by no means improbable that in the early season in 

 those cold northern countries, when the lambs are young and the flock weak, and the crows 

 and ravens prowl about blinding and torturing, the Jerfalcon may be of considerable service 

 to the shepherd." 



When at liberty in its native land, it seems to prefer birds to any other kind of prey, and 

 will resolutely attack birds of considerable size, such as the heron or stork. It will also chase 

 hares and rabbits, and in the pursuit of this swift game is so eager, that after knocking over 

 one hare, it will leave the maimed animal struggling on the ground while it goes off in chase 

 of another. Although its home is in the chilly wastes of those northern regions, the bird is in 

 no want of food, finding ample supply in the sea birds which swarm around the tall cliffs that 

 jut into the waves, and being able from its great powers of flight to range over a vast extent of 

 country in search of its daily food. 



On account of the singular power, swiftness, and courage of this bird, it was in former 

 days held in the highest estimation, and could only be purchased at a most extravagant 

 price. Not only must it be taken at the imminent risk of life, from the almost inaccessible 

 cliffs on which it builds its nest, but it must also be specially brought from Iceland or 

 Norway, and trained after its arrival at its new residence. As the bird is a most unruly 

 and self-willed creature, its instruction was a matter of very great difficulty, and could 

 only be achieved by the most patient of skilful teachers. So highly, indeed, was this bird 

 valued, that after the hawking season was over, and the ordinary hawks permitted to fly 

 at liberty according to custom, the Jerfalcon was retained by its owner, and kept for the next 

 year. The training of this bird is a long and tedious process, and is managed after the 

 following manner. 



It is allowed that all hawks are fierce and untameable in proportion to the latitude in 

 which they reside, those which inhabit the northern and colder parts of the earth being much 

 fiercer and less tameable than those of more southern regions ; so that the course of training 

 through which a Jerfalcon is forced to pass is much more severe than that which suffices to 

 render a Peregrine Falcon subservient to its teacher. 



The first object which the trainer bears in mind is, to reduce the strength of the bird by 

 slow degrees, so as to prevent it from injuring itself by the fierce and protracted struggles 

 with which it would endeavor to resist any advance on the part of the teacher. This object is 

 obtained by giving the bird only half the usual allowance of food, and by steeping the meat in 

 water before the Falcon is permitted to touch it. A leathern hood, which answers the double 

 purpose of blinding the eyes and keeping the beak closed, is placed on the head, and never 

 removed except at night, so that the bird remains in perpetual darkness for ten days or a 

 fortnight. If the bird attempts to bite when the hood is removed, cold water is splashed in 

 its face, and if it is very savage, it is plunged entirely under water. By the end of fifteen or 

 sixteen days, the Falcon becomes used to the handling to which it is subjected, and will permit 

 the hood to be removed and replaced, without offering any resistance. 



The next part of the instruction is to teach the bird to pounce upon any object that may 

 be pointed out by the instructor, whether it be a heron moving in the air, or a hare running 

 on the ground. 



The skin of the intended prey is employed for this purpose, and the bird is invariably fed 

 while standing on this skin. When it is accustomed to associate the idea of the hare or heron 

 skin with the pleasure of satisfying its hunger, the skin, if it be that of a hare, is drawn along 

 the ground, and the falcon encouraged to pursue it. As soon as the bird pounces, the teacher 

 looses his hold of the skin, and permits his pupil to feast on the meat which has been pre- 

 viously attached to it. Next day the skin is placed at a distance of several yards before it is 

 started, and the distance is gradually increased, so that the bird learns to search in every 



