OTTER HUNTING, FALCONRY, SHOOTING 137 



goshawk, should be made to fly to the fist ; that is 

 essential, especially with the former bird, but it is well 

 also that they should understand some sort of lure ; one 

 of these hawks may take its ' stand ' in a tree, and 

 obstinately remain there : a lure will often bring it down 

 when the ' fist ' has little attraction. 



The female bird will fly three- fourths-grown partridges, 

 and will sometimes take an old one : water-hens, too, she 

 will take, when they can be found far enough from water ; 

 for landrails she was always famous, and a quail would be 

 excellent quarry for either the male or the female bird. 



The sparrow-hawk, like the goshawk, may be broken 

 to the hood, but it should be rarely used. The bird 

 must be carried without it on days when she flies and 

 when she does not. And just one hint as to carrying on 

 the glove : it is absolutely necessary, day after day, but 

 it must not be made a toil to the hawk : a little bit of 

 food — the leg of a pigeon with the feathers off, for 

 instance — should be in the right hand, so that when the 

 bird becomes impatient and disposed to be cross, just a 

 glimpse and a very small taste may be ofFered. 



As to the kind of food, one must be specially careful 

 with both merlins and sparrow-hawks : even fresh and 

 tender beefsteak, excellent with peregrines and goshawks, 

 and very proper on occasion with the smaller hawks, 

 must be given sparingly. Sheep's heart and birds should 

 be the usual food. All hawks require castings two or three 

 times in the week — i.e.., feather or fur with their food. 



