12 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XXI. 



remained of the poor owl was a leg or two and 

 some of the longer feathers. 



The country in its present enclosed state is not 

 so well adapted to the sport of hawking as 

 formerly ; but, as far as relates to the training of 

 the birds, the process is much more simple and 

 easy than is generally supposed. Of course the 

 trainer must take in hand a bird of the proper 

 kind, such as a peregrine, a merlin, or an Iceland 

 or ger falcon. A goshawk is tractable enough, 

 but has not the same dash and rapid flight as any 

 of the true long- winged falcons. 



The first step is to accustom your bird to the 

 hood, without which you can do nothing; but most 

 hawks allow themselves to be hooded quietly 

 enough, and are then to a great degree under your 

 command, as when hooded you can carry her when 

 and where you like on your hand, and familiarise 

 her to your voice and to being handled. 



The next step is to accustom the hawk to feed 

 on the lure, and only on the lure, so as to fly 

 directly to it whenever she sees it: indeed, the lure 

 ought only to be shown when the bird is to feed. 



These two points gained, you must proceed to 

 flying the hawk in an open field, substituting a 

 long silken string, or "creance," for the short 

 leathern strap, the " leash," by which you always 



