A BIRDLQVER'S YEAR 



close at hand is a large bow-net worked by 

 a cord from the hut. The last and exceed- 

 ingly important part of the equipment is the 

 great grey-backed shrike which is tethered 

 outside the hut. This bird possesses the 

 faculty of seeing the approaching falcon or 

 hawk long before the falconer is aware of 

 its advent, and by the excited movements 

 of this little sentinel he is warned to prepare 

 the lure. By pulling one of the cords, a 

 pigeon is brought to the top of the pole. 

 This attracts the passing hawk, who dashes 

 down to secure his prey, but by neat mani- 

 pulation on the part of the unseen falconer, 

 the pigeon is allowed to escape, whilst a 

 second pigeon is liberated on the ground. 

 This the hawk falls upon with rapacity, 

 then inch by inch its prey is drawn within 

 the sweep of the bow-net, which suddenly 

 descends, imprisoning the wild visitor. It 

 only remains for the falconer to secure his 

 passage hawk and to carry it off. At once 

 the hawk is hooded and his training begins. 

 He is only fed at first by candle-light, and 

 some time elapses before he is allowed to 

 see the light of day. The successful training 

 of falcons and hawks implies a wonderfully 



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