FALCONRY. 581 
common in the centre of Europe ; lastly, the Bengal Falcon (Zerax 
cerudescens), which is a native of India and Java—this is the smallest 
of all birds of prey. Several other varieties of Falcon, which do not 
present any remarkable peculiarity, are met with both in Africa and 
America. 
The name of Falcon is still associated with the sport of hawking 
or falconry, of which we are about to speak. 
Ae 
Fig. 269.—Kestrel. 
Falconry, the art of training or flying hawks to take other birds, 
was formerly held in high esteem in the various countries of Europe. 
After having been for centuries the delight of kings and nobles, in 
consequence of the invention of fire-arms it fell into disuse. The 
Arabs and other Asiatic nations practise it at the present day. This 
sport may be traced back to a very remote period, for Aristotle, and 
subsequently Pliny, make mention of it. Falconry was introduced 
into Europe about the fourth century of our era, and was at its 
greatest repute in the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance. All 
