584 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



familiarised with strangers, horses, and dogs, which are to be at 

 some future date its companions in the chase. When an obstinate 

 bird is dealt with its appetite is excited, so as to render it more 



dependent ; with this view it is made 

 to swallow small pellets of tow mixed 

 up with garlic and wormwood. These 

 pellets have the effect of increasing 

 its hunger ; and the pleasure which it 

 afterwards experiences in eating tends 

 to attach it more closely to the in- 

 dividual who feeds it. 



In a general way, after five or six 

 days of restraint the falcon is tamed, 

 and the falconer can then proceed with 

 the training, to which the former prac- 

 tices are nothing but preliminaries. 



The bird is 

 taken into a gar- 

 den, and taught to 

 hop up on the 

 hand when called; 

 a piece of meat is 

 shown, to entice it, 

 which is not given 

 to the bird until 

 the requisite ma- 

 noeuvre is properly 

 executed. The 

 meat is then fas- 

 tened to a 'lure, 

 or decoy, and the 

 same course is 

 adopted, the bird 

 being attached to 

 the end of a string 



from ten to forty yards in length. The hire (Fig. 273) is a flat piece 

 of wood, covered on both sides with the wings and feet of a pigeon. 

 The falcon is uncovered, and the lure is shown to it at a short distance 

 off, and at the same time a call is given. If the bird swoops upon 

 the lure it is allowed to take the meat which is attached to it. The 

 distance is progressively increased, and the falcon is recompensed for 

 its docility on each occasion. When, at the full length of the string, 



Fig. 272. Dressed Falcon. 



Fig. 273. -The Lure. 



