TRAINING HAWKS. 125 



kittens.* The falconers sliould cultivate the 

 affection of the young birds, giving them water 

 to wash in, and boughs to perch on. Then 

 their education is commenced by breaking them 

 to the hood. This is done by stitching the 

 eyelids of the bird together, and so keeping 

 them for a week. If she sulks and refuses food, 

 her toes are pinched, and when she pecks, a 

 bit of raw flesh is popped into her beak. When 

 the hawk will sit quietly on the fist, the 

 threads are loosened to give her a little light, 

 and the hood is put on. The threads are 

 next cut, so as to pull gradually from the 

 eyelids. She is then placed on the fist and 

 taught to sit quiet whilst the hood is put on 

 or removed. If a hawk be untractable she 

 is tamed by what is called Shiib-he?/dari, that 

 is, depriving her of sleep by placing lights about 

 her and disturbing her whenever she seems 

 inclined to sleep. The most intractable bird 

 is soon tamed by this method. The hawk's 

 food is increased as she becomes tractable. The 

 falconer should always address his bird in 

 coaxing tones, and with judicious management 

 she will soon allow herself to be carried about 

 * Burton. 



