THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF BIRDS. 33 



kinds of products. We see it on our wall-papers and 

 valentines, in all kinds of artistic printing, on pottery 

 and porcelain, on textile fabrics and in lace and em- 

 broidered work. It figures in our architecture, and is 

 even employed in various ways as trade-marks and 

 advertisements. 



As our fourth division we propose briefly to glance at 

 the value of birds used in the Chase. From periods of 

 remote antiquity man has pressed the bird into his 

 service and made it the pursuer as well as the pursued. 

 In days of old the art of Falconry flourished in merry 

 England a truly noble sport followed by kings and 

 princes and gentle ladies of high degree. Firearms to a 

 great extent rang the death-knell of hawking, and it is 

 only followed in this country now by a few gentlemen 

 who enjoy the sport, most probably from its novelty. 

 It would, however, be erroneous to infer that hawking in 

 this country has ceased to possess any commercial value. 

 The " Old Hawking Club " and many private gentlemen 

 expend good round sums annually in the sport. Falcons 

 have to be purchased and trained ; men have to be kept 

 to attend them ; food is required for them ; and many 

 minor expenses have to be met by the votaries of this 

 difficult sport. In olden days a cast of Hawks was 

 thought as much of as a modern stable of hunters ; and 

 extravagant sums were paid for highly-trained birds. 



In many parts of the East, however, Falconry still 



D 



