-282 EEMINISCEXCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



grains of gum myrrh, and two grains of aloes. Vermin 

 sometimes torment hawks, and prevent their thriving. 

 In these cases fumigations of tobacco or sulphur must 

 be resorted to, or sulphur finely levigated and mixed 

 with a fifth part of stavesacre, equally finely powdered, 

 may be forced through the feathers in moderate quantity 

 by means of a powder puff, observing to have the hawk 

 hooded at the time. Mr. Huber directs that when a 

 falcon or hawk agitates herself very much, proving ex- 

 tremely refractory, and actually attempts to use her bill, 

 in such cases, lowering her food, let cold water be thrown 

 over her head, or a stream may be allowed to drop from 

 a wisp of hay or straw held over her, by which means 

 she may be eventually rendered completely tame. En- 

 tering the falcon to her game may be commenced as 

 soon as she comes readily to the lure : when thus ad- 

 vanced we will suppose her soaring aloft with her head 

 inclined inwards, and ready to come to the lure ; at 

 which time the practice is to fly a partridge, confined 

 however with a creance. This the falcon brings to the 

 ground, where she is allowed to eat it, the trainer walk- 

 ing round her, and encouraging her during the time. 

 The same process is to be repeated a few times, when 

 she may be flown at game unrestrained ; but to prevent 

 her being cowed by any failure in her early attempts, it 

 is recommended that a live partridge in a bag be kept 

 in reserve, ready to throw up to her should she have 

 failed in her first flight on other game. Sir John Se- 

 bright, however, observes, that " although this is the 

 method of breaking eyesses to the lure practised by fal- 

 coners generally, yet he is of opinion it might be better 

 done, and with infinitely less trouble, by using the young 

 hawk, when flying at hack, to feed always on the lure." 



