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THE FALCON, and its AFFINITIES. 



OF many of the ancient falcons, formerly ufed in the chace, we know 

 only the names. Thofe ufed at prelent, are the gyr-falcon, the 

 falcon, the lanner, the facrc, the hobby, the keftril, and the merlin. 

 Thefe are called the long-winged-hawks, to diftinguifh them from the 

 gofs-hawk, the fparrow-hawk, the kite, and the buzzard, that are of 

 fliorter wing; and too flow, cowardly, indolent, or obftinate to furnilh 

 .imufement in the field. Of the generous tribe of hawks, the wings 

 reach nearly as low as the tail. The firft quill of the wing longeft; which 

 the fecond always nearly equals, and terminates in a point, which begins 

 to diminifh at about an inch from its extremity. In the bafer races, the 

 tail is longer than the wings, the firft feather of the wing is rounded at the 

 extremity, and the fourth feather the longeft. 



The generous race is from this length of wing fwifter, from their fwift- 

 nefs bolder, and, from native generofity, more docile than the other. 



The gyr-falcon exceeds all others in fize, approaching nearly in mag- 

 nitude to the eagle. The top of the head is flat, afh-coloured; bill blue, 

 ftrong, thick, ftiort; on the back and wings marked with black fpots 

 heart-lhaped. Courageous and fierce, he fears not the eagle himfelfj 

 but chiefly flies at the ftork, heron, and crane. Native of the colder 

 regions of the North, but maintains his ftrength and courage in milder 

 climates. 



The falcon- gentil and the peregrine -falcon, are much lefs than the 

 gyr, and about the fize of a raVen. The falcon-gentil moults in March, 

 often fooner; the peregrine-falcon moults in Auguft. The peregrine is 

 ftronger in the ftioulder, has a larger eye, more funk in the head, his 

 beak ftronger, longer legs, and his toes better divided. 



The lanner is now little kno\Yn in Europe. The facre is diftin- 

 guifhed by legs of a blueifli colour. The hobby is ufed for fmaller game, 

 for daring larks, and ftooping at quails. The keftril was trained for the 

 fame purpofes. The courage of the merlin, though he is not much 

 larger than a thrufti, is formidable to birds trn times his fize. He has of- 

 ten been known to kill a partridge or a quail :;c a fingle pounce. In this 

 he may be confidered as a fpecimen of the fpecies. 



The hare, partridge, or quail profitably repay the trouble of taking; 

 but the moft delightful i'port is the chace of die heron, kite, or wood-lark. 

 For thefe, when threatened by the approach of the hawk, rife into the fkies, 



I almoft 



