FALCONRY YOUTHFUL ATTEMPTS. 153 



of my most promising hawks would have nearly 

 completed its course of instruction, an absence of 

 some months would break the tender tie, and on 

 my return I had generally the mortification of 

 finding either that she had perished from neglect 

 or improper food, or that her feathers were in 

 such a state as to render her useless in the field 

 until another moult had taken place. Yet in 

 justice to these juvenile attempts I must add 

 that my proceedings were conducted on the most 

 orthodox system. There was no lack of black- 

 letter authority. Sundry rare and valuable trea- 

 tises on ' the noble art of falconrie ' had fallen into 

 my hands, preeminent among which was a copy 

 of ' The Book of St. Alban's,' a treasure which 

 was reluctantly lent to me by a relative who was 

 curious in mediaeval literature, and who never lost 

 an opportunity of assuring me that the quaint 

 old volume was really a diamond beyond all price. 

 Thus I soon became thoroughly initiated in all 

 the mysteries of the hood and the leash, and 

 even learned in a short time to fabricate my own 

 rude tackle. Uninterrupted leisure from other 

 pursuits, the aid of an experienced assistant, and 

 dogs regularly trained to the sport, were never- 

 theless wanting ; and I soon became satisfied that 

 without thesehowever great certain local advan- 

 tages may be any attempt to indulge in the 



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