1 902 Some Birds in Shakspear 2 1 7 



falconry, as may be seen from the following quotation from 

 Wood : " 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 fierce and protracted 

 struggles with which it would endeavour to resist any ad- 

 vances on the part of its teacher." Petruchio and his newly 

 married wife are at the end of a long day's journey, she is 

 very hungry, but he has quarrelled with every dish, and 

 sent it away from the table, so that she has to go to bed 

 unsatisfied. 



" My falcon now is sharp and passing empty ; 

 And till she stoop she must not be full-gorged, 

 For then she never looks upon the lure. 

 Another way I have to man my haggard, 

 To make her come and know the keeper's call, 

 That is, to watch her, as we watch those kites 

 That bate and beat and will not be obedient." 



Here he is obviously speaking of a hawk taken late, that is 

 so confirmed in its wild habits that it will require much 

 management to man it. One may succeed in taming a 

 haggard, but it is unlikely that it will make a useful bird, 

 as it is almost sure to keep to its wild habits and fly at any- 

 thing whether the falconer wish it or no (" Twelfth Night," 

 iii. i) — 



" The fellow's wise enough to play the fool ; 

 And to do that well craves a kind of art. 

 He must observe the mood on whom he jests, 

 The quality of persons, and the time, 

 Not, like the haggard, check at every feather 

 That comes before his eye." 



There is even a stronger instance of Shakspear's view of the 

 meaning of the word, and that is in " Othello " (iii. 3) — 



" If I do prove her haggard. 

 Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings, 

 I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind 

 To prey at fortune." 



The falconer always flew his bird at the quarry against the 

 wind, for it was very hard to recall a hawk if it went the 



