TRAIXIXG THE HAGGARD. 283 



Training the Haggaed and Mature Hatvk. 



Training of passage and mature falcons is somewhat 

 more fatiguing than the training of eyesses. With them 

 it will he expedient to weaken their powers of making 

 their resistance hurtful to the trainer. To effect this, let 

 the heak and talons be coped, i. e. somewhat blunted by a 

 knife or file ; this done, trail the wings, and proceed to 

 put jesses, bell, and leash. As, however, there is a pro- 

 bability that the striving against the rufter hood may 

 be considerable, it will be prudent not to attempt put- 

 ting it on until the wildness is in a great measure gone 

 by the subduing means already pointed out ; as night 

 watchings with water drippings, and very slight diet by 

 day. The meat also which is given to such should be 

 washed in water, to render its exhilarating powers 

 weaker, by depriving it of its nutritive juices; and 

 they likewise should be fed in the evening only, that 

 being sharp set in the day they may make their 

 initiatory lessons more readily : neither must this treat- 

 ment be relaxed until all rammishness has ceased, and 

 until the subjects of it will suffer their feathers to be 

 stroked down with a quill, and other marks of familiarity 

 allowed without resistance or baiting off. They should 

 likewise seldom be left alone, for if the trainer has not 

 always got them by his side, he should at least visit 

 them for the first two or three weeks several times 

 during the night. Hard as this may seem, yet to re- 

 claim either the Icelander or haggard slight falcon it is 

 actually necessary. 



Obedience having been unconditionally and fully 

 exacted, indulgence should follow. The rufter hood 

 should now be occasionally removed, and the subject, 

 c 2 



