HAWK 



.] NATURAL HISTORY. 147 



are accounted the hare, boar and wolf. Of these also the 

 stag is accounted for the most noble game, the fallow deer 

 is the next, then the roe, whereof we have indifferent 

 store, and last of all the hare. 



Holinsked) " Description of Britain," p. 226. 



Hawk. 



TAMING OF THE SHREW, Induction, Sc. 2, 45. 



WE have the eagle ; the lanner [male] and the lanneret 

 [female] ; the tiercel and the goshawk ; the musket [male- 

 sparrow-hawk] and the sparhawk ; the jack and the hobby 

 [a small Hawk] ; and finally some though very few marlions 

 [merlins]. And these are all the Hawks that I do hear as 

 yet to be bred within this island. Howbeit as these are 

 not wanting with us, so are they not very plentiful ; where- 

 fore such as delight in Hawking do make their chief pur- 

 veyance and provision for the same out of Dansk [Denmark], 

 Germany and the East countries ; from whence we have 

 them in great abundance, and at excessive prices, whereas 

 at home they are sold for almost right naught. The spar- 

 hawk is enemy to young children, as is also the ape ; but 

 of the peacock she is marvellously afraid, and so appalled, 

 that all courage and stomach for a time is taken from her 

 upon the sight thereof. 



Holinshed, "Description of England," p. 227; ch. v. 



THE goshawk is a royal bird, and is armed more with 

 boldness than with claws, and as much as kind taketh from 

 her in quantity of body, he rewardeth her with boldness of 

 heart. And she is a covetous fowl to take other fowls. 

 Also such Hawks be cruel against their birds, so that they 

 take from them meat when they be fledge and ripe, and 

 they beat and drive them out of their nest, as the eagle 

 doth her birds. And some such Hawks be thieves of the 

 lir only, and some of the earth only. And the more sharp 

 ler breast is, the better she is of flight. And the goshawk 

 lath this property, that in age, when she feeleth herself 

 ieved with heaviness and weight of feathers, she spreadeth 

 ler wings against the beams of the sun, when the wind is 

 mth, and so by sudden weather and resolving heat the 



