BIKDS TEAINED TO HUNT 131 



means some Siberian tribes obtain the pelts which 

 they use for barter at the trading-posts. 



6 

 Fishing with Birds 



Among all the hawks mentioned as being at 

 some time or other trained to hunt for a human 

 master, there is one species which we have failed to 

 discuss. This is the osprey, more commonly 

 known as the fish-hawk. Although the records 

 are not clear on the subject, it appears that this 

 hawk was once utilized in England for catching 

 fish. The sport, however, did not gain popu- 

 larity. The osprey could not be induced by train- 

 ing to deviate from its instinctive habit of flying 

 to the top of a tall tree or post immediately its 

 talons had closed upon its prey. Therefore the 

 priests, who supposedly were responsible for the 

 attempt to modify the habits of the hawk, soon 

 gave it up as a bad job. 



There is, however, another sort of bird, the cor- 

 morant, which is trained for this purpose. The 

 art of cormorant fishing originated in the Far 

 East and later was introduced into Europe, where 

 for a short time in the seventeenth century it 

 found favor. But its popularity there was short- 

 lived; the sport was attended with little or no ex- 

 citement. Now for a view of the art in practice 

 one must travel to Japan, China, or Formosa. 



