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



if I had time and space, to attempt technically to 

 describe or make others understand all that is 

 required to constitute an accomplished falconer. 

 The moulting of the falcons, their keeping, feeding, 

 and training, must all be perfectly understood and 

 carefully attended to ; and although almost any 

 person who has his time at his command may 

 manage to keep a single hawk in good training 

 and obedience, yet to carry out the amusement to 

 any degree of perfection, a professed and skilful 

 falconer must be engaged, whose sole and entire 

 employment should be to attend to the health and 

 education of the birds. 



The training of falcons is much facilitated by 

 the natural disposition of the bird, which is bold, 

 confiding, and fearless ; and these qualifications, 

 assisted by the keen sense of hunger felt by all 

 animals of prey, render their taming and education 

 far more easy than would at first be supposed. 



Next to the peregrine the merlin is the best 

 hawk to train, being equally bold and fearless ; and, 

 although of so a small size, has courage enough 

 to dash fearlessly when launched from the hand at 

 whatever bird it may see on wing. A merlin be- 

 longing to a friend of mine would fiercely assail a 

 blackcock. This hawk, too, is so beautiful and so 

 finely formed, that a prettier pet cannot be found ; 



