THE PEREGRINE FALCON. 23 



— made to reach no higher than the wrist on the inside of 

 the hand, while on the outside it covered the arm nearly 

 to the elbow, that the bird, at the word of command, 

 might retreat from the wrist up the arm, and thus leave 

 the hand at liberty. 



When the falcon was carried abroad for sport, the 

 tnin straps of leather attached to the legs, by which she 

 was held on the hand, called jesses, were made shorter, 

 that they might not impede her flight ; and, unless she 

 were a well-practised bird, a long silken thread, called a 

 creance, was attached to the bewits, by means of which 

 she could soar as high as was necessary, and be again 

 reclaimed. The hawk was commonly hooded until the 

 game was sprung ; the covering was then removed, the 

 creance was unwound, and the bird cast off the hand. 

 A well-trained hawk was always expected to bring dow^n 

 the best bird, uninjured either by her strong beak or 

 sharp talons ; the prey was then taken from her, and 

 she was returned to her station on the wrist, until an- 

 other covey rose, when she was again cast off. 



Walton's Falconer says : — "In the air, my noble, 

 generous falcon ascends to such a height as the dull 

 eyes of beasts and fish are not able to reach to — their 

 bodies are too gross for such high elevation — but from 

 which height I can make her descend by a word from 



