138 THE LION KILLER. 



to disease than the hagard, which is taken in the latter part 

 of summer in the following manner.: 



After having reconnoitred the rock or ruins in which the 

 falcon passes the night, a horseman comes early in the morn- 

 ing carrying a pigeon or partridge, the body of which is 

 enveloped in a net in which the falcon is caught by his talons 

 when he sweeps down on the bait that the horseman lets 

 loose before him. 



There are several kinds of falcons, which the Arabs distin- 

 guish by different names appropriate to each different variety. 



Whatever may be the species to which the bird belongs, 

 the manner of teaching it is the same. The education of 

 the full grown falcon being much more difficult than that of 

 the niais, we will not treat of the latter. 



As soon as the horseman commissioned to take the falcon 

 has seen him stoop on the bait, either in the air or on the 

 ground, he hastens to take it before it is able to tear loose 

 from the net in which it is caught. At the same time, he 

 puts on the hood, which is to keep him from seeing, and 

 jesses, to which are attached a cord about four or five feet 

 long, in order to keep him from flying. 



This duty ended, the horseman returns to his douar, 

 carrying the falcon on his shoulder or head, without his 

 attempting to fly away, the loss of sight having rendered 

 him timid. 



On arriving at the tent, the bird is placed on a perch a 

 foot high, stuffed with hair, and covered with cloth, to preserve 

 his claws from injury. Then commences the course of train- 

 ing. It is necessary, the first thing, to accustom him to the 



