QUALITIES OF A GOOD FALCONER. 55 



Spenser almost invariably spells the word in this way.* 

 To understand the allusion to the falconer's voice, it 

 should be observed that after a hawk had been flown, and 

 had either struck or missed the object of her pursuit, the 

 " lure " (which we shall presently describe) was thrown up 

 to entice her back, and at the same time the falconer 

 shouted to attract her attention. 



Professor Schneider, in a Latin volume published at 

 Leipsic, in 1788,-f- thus enumerates the qualities of a good 

 falconer : " Sit mediocris staturae ; sit perfecti ingenii ; 

 bonae memorise ; levis auditu ; acuti visus ; homo magncz 

 vocis ; sit agilis et promptus ; sciat natare," &c. &c. 



Each falconer had his own particular call, but it was 

 generally somewhat like 



" Hillo, ho, ho, boy ! come, bird, come ! " 



Hamlet, Act i. Sc. 5. 



The " lure " was of various shapes, and consisted merely 

 of a piece of iron or wood, generally in the shape of a 

 heart or horseshoe, to which were attached the wings of 

 some bird, with a piece of raw meat fixed between them. 

 A strong leathern strap, about three feet long, fastened to 

 it with a swivel, enabled the falconer to swing it round his 

 head, or throw it to a distance. With high-flying hawks, 



* See his " Faerie Queene," Book III. Canto 4. 



f This scarce volume, of which we are fortunate enough to possess a copy, 

 contains the work of the Emperor Frederic II., " De arte venandi cum avibus ; " 

 Albertus Magnus, " De Falconibus;" as also a digest of Hubner's work, "Sur le 

 vol des oiseaux de proie," and other ancient and rare works on Falconry. 



