MOULTING 249 



recommended for moulting hawks' diet, and on the same prin- 

 ciple an ideal food for moulting merlins or sparrow-hawks 

 would be fat quails. These little hawks are, however, often 

 nauseated by eating birds which are very fat. The heads, 

 necks, and pinions of fowls should always be given freely to 

 moulting hawks, not only because the meat on them is of a 

 good kind, but because they make capital tirings, and so 

 provide exercise at a time when exercise is very difficult to 

 find. Mice for the small hawks, rats for goshawks, and rabbits 

 for the other big hawks, should also be often supplied ; and 

 plenty of castings should be given, or the internal fat which 

 accumulates in a moulting hawk will either rob her of her 

 appetite or cause some obstinate and perhaps dangerous disorder. 



It is not to be supposed that the ancient falconers, who 

 were so fond of physicking their hawks, could omit to discover 

 artificial methods of expediting the moult. A couple of 

 specimens of fashionable prescriptions may be worth quoting 

 for just what they are worth: "When ye meane to further the 

 mewing of your hawke, take of the snayles that have shelles, 

 stampe them shelles and all, strayning them through a cloth, 

 and with the oyle that comes thereof wash hir meate two or 

 three tymes. Also take of the snayles that lie in running 

 streames, give your hawke of them in the morning ; for that 

 will both scowre hir and nourish hir greatly, and setteth hir up 

 and maketh hir to mew apace. Master Michelin, in his Book 

 of the King of Cyprus, sayeth thus : ' Cut an adder in two parts 

 and seeth him in w^ater, and with that water and wheate togither 

 fede your pullets, pigeons, turtles, and other birds which you 

 intend to allow your hawkes that are slack to mewe, and soone 

 after they shall mewe their feathers apace.' " 



The personal attention paid to a moulting hawk varies very 

 widely. Some falconers make frequent visits to the room, and 

 habituate the captive to come to the fist, and be carried and 

 handled and maintained in a very tame state. The ancient 

 falconers — and some of our own time — gave themselves very 

 little trouble, and left the moulting hawks pretty much to 

 their own devices. Probably the one course has nearly as 

 much to commend it as the other. It seems more amiable and 

 business-like to keep up, even during the off-season, that 

 friendly intercourse with your hawk which is natural among 

 friends, and even some of those habits of obedience which you 

 have so laboriously taught. On the other hand, while you are 

 giving your hawk a holiday, you may almost as well give her a 



