254 THE HOBBY 



goshawk killed two couple of rabbits. A terrier was used to find 

 the rabbits, and good law being given, the hawk was thrown off 

 the wrist of the falconer, and usually knocked the rabbit over in 

 a few seconds. Once a rabbit took shelter in a thorn-bush, but 

 so great was the speed of the hawk that she dashed into the bush 

 before she could stop herself, and was released with some difficulty. 

 So well trained was this hawk that on the return home she sat on 

 the seat of the phaeton, without being hooded, so far as I can 

 remember " (The Herts Advertiser and St. Albans Times}. 



FIG. 142. THE HOBBY. 



" The training of a hawk is a matter requiring great pains and 

 protracted attention. It is first kept immovable and deprived of 

 light for seventy hours. Its legs are kept bound by jesses, or 

 slender thongs of leather, terminated with bells. It is carefully 

 kept from sleeping, and if it shows signs of resistance its head is 

 plunged in water. It is also deprived of food until, exhausted 

 with want of rest and nourishment, it suffers itself to be hooded. 

 When this first discipline is completed it is unhooded from time 

 to time and offered food, which it seizes with avidity. When it 

 allows itself to be hooded again without resistance it is considered 

 tame. To make it still more dependent, its appetite is stimulated 

 artificially by cleansing out its stomach with balls of tow attached 

 to a thread, which it is made to swallow, and which are afterwards 

 pulled up. This operation produces a raging hunger, by satisfying 

 which the bird is attached to its trainer. These operations have 

 to be frequently repeated. The bird is next taken into a garden 

 and placed on the turf. His hood is lifted, and the falconer pre- 

 sents him with a morsel of meat. If he leaps on the hand of the 



