HAWKING IN AFRICA. 139 



sight of men, horses and dogs, to allow his hood and jesses 

 to be put on and off, and finally to take his food out of the 

 hand. 



There are very few falcons that do not make resistance ; 

 some refuse all food for several days ; others attack those 

 who touch them with their beak and claws ; and sometimes 

 there will be found a few so intractable that it is impossible to 

 train them at all. One thing very remarkable in this con- 

 nection, is that the falcons that are best for hunting purposes 

 are the very ones who are wildest during their education. 



The surest means of subduing the bird, is to deprive him 

 of light and food for several days, and accustom him after- 

 wards to jump from the perch to the gronnd, and then to the 

 wrist, in order to obtain his food. 



When they are sufficiently accustomed to the sight of men 

 and horses, the animal or bird which they are to hunt is 

 shown them, and they are permitted to eat a little of its flesh 

 after it is killed. 



The Arabs consider warm flesh the best food for the birds. 

 Falcons that have lost nothing of their savageness by being 

 deprived of light or food, have been known suddenly to 

 become friends with the man who has given them either a 

 hare or partridge to kill, and to feast on the flesh with per- 

 fect docility. 



After the falcons learn boldly to attack the animal which 

 is shown them while on the perch, the lesson is repeated on 

 horseback. To accomplish this they proceed to some open 

 plain, carrying along hares and partridges, according as the 

 birds are destined to hunt the one or the other. The falcons 



