252 EEMINISCENCES OF A SPOETSMAN". 



upon her wings, and when she follows the spaniels as 

 they range about, will make divers turns on them, so 

 that when the game is sprung she may the more ad- 

 vantageously stoop from her wings, and being well 

 manned, she serves for several sorts of game. The 

 hobby must be taught and trained in each particular 

 like the falcon ; and observe not to flee her in the day, 

 for then she is apt to soar and be lost (although for a 

 time being to be found again) ; but about two o'clock 

 in the afternoon begin to flee her, and so hold on till 

 near sunset, and longer is not good for fear of losing 

 her ; and if you order her according to the directions 

 given for the falcon, she will make a hawk of great 

 delight, for you may flee her oftener and when you 

 can't any other. She is often made to flee the partridge 

 at the first season of the year ; also the quail, wheat- 

 ear, and the like. In plain champaign fields, where 

 great and tall bushes grow, the hobby will make abun- 

 dance of stoopings (while resting sometimes) ; and if the 

 bushes stand at some reasonable distance, the birds will 

 be so terrified at the sight of her as to suffer you almost 

 to take them up with your hand, but may easily kill 

 them with a cross-bow. And this they will do seven or 

 eight times, making their stooj^ings with rest between, 

 so that the sport will last three or four hours. The 

 eyess hobby is best for the mount, and I hold this way 

 the best for retaining and preparing them. You must 

 take her out of the nest a little before she is able to 

 stand on the side thereof; then provide some other nest 

 on any tree in your garden or orchard seven or eight 

 feet from the gi'ound, and there at set times feed her 

 with bits from the sharp end of a stick ; and when she 

 is able to stand stifl" on her legs, and to tus: hard for her 



