THE WORKIXG HAWK. 287 



large and expensive hawking establishments, there 

 would be no difficulty in their devoting a few hours 

 every day in this delightful sport, and still not over- 

 working tiie birds. In the working of the hawks the 

 condition and the habits of each bird must be con- 

 sidered, and that the feeding be proportioned accordingly. 

 It is only the strong or very high-conditioned hawks 

 that should be allowed to fly two successive days. Only, 

 when this is the case, a more plentiful allowance of 

 food should be apportioned to each day's meal than at 

 other times. On the day that a hawk has been flown, 

 she should afterwards have a plentiful meal, and it 

 should be given immediately she has done it. When 

 she is gorged, it is proper that she remain two whole 

 days at rest, as it would be injurious to fly her in less 

 time. In this respite we only imitate the natural habits 

 of these birds, which incline them to solitude and 

 almost total inactivity after they have gorged. The 

 gorge (so called) is a very full meal given once in four 

 or five days, it being supposed that in the intervening 

 days a moderate but sufficient meal is to be given. It 

 is essentially necessary to keep up the working hawk 

 in full bodily condition, as it is that it should not be- 

 come too full and gross ; about the third of a pound of 

 beef a day is a fair quantity for a slight falcon, but in 

 this respect, or as regards the feeding of falcons and 

 hawks, the trainer must be altogether guided by the 

 size and condition of his birds ; in short., nothing but 

 great experience, much patience and attention, as has 

 been before observed, can bring the hawks into the field 

 in such good condition as to ensure sport to the fal- 

 coner and his friends when the birds are flown at the 

 quarry. 



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