A WORD OF ADVICE. 195 



hawks. He licensed every vendor of hawks in France, 

 and received a tax on every bird sokl in the kingdom, 

 and even within the verge of the conrt : and the king 

 never rode out upon any occasion of consequence without 

 this officer attending upon him." We are however, 

 warranted in stating that falconry in France is now 

 less practised than even in England. During many 

 centuries hawking appears to have been the all-absorbing 

 piu'suit, not only in England, but equally so throughout 

 Europe ; indeed, it might be said that a hawdcing mania 

 raged universally ; kings and princes not only engaged 

 in the actual chase itself, but they also voluntarily un- 

 dertook the drudgery themselves of training and feed- 

 ing hawks. When employed in their most important 

 offices, they were often seen with a hawk on their hand; 

 indeed, they seldom moved without them *, their hawks 

 being apparently considered as much their familiar 

 acquaintance and attendants as pet dogs with us at the 

 present day. 



In d'Accussia's French book on falconry, published in 

 1599, he gives the following advice to those who would 

 exercise falconry. " Celui qui voudra s'exercer a la Fau- 

 connerie, doit avoir trois choses principalement en recom- 

 mendation, et les garder de tout son pouvoir. La pre- 

 miere, c'est de ne se mettre jamais en colere etant a la 

 chasse, pour faute qu'nn oiseau y puisse faire ; comme font 

 quelques-uns qui se laissent dominer au trop d'affection, 



* At Mr. Ward's bird-stuffing shop in Tere Street there were about 

 150 different species of hawks and owls belonging to Prince Jideeb Singh, 

 an Indian prince. These birds were taken in his principality. He had 

 also several live hawks in London, which were taken care of by his 

 servants, and frequently broiight to him at his hotel, where thej' re- 

 mained sometimes two or three hours, vnth. the object of getting domes- 

 ticated. This prince had pursued falconry in Scotland, 



