78 HlSTOllY OF 



Normandy, is drawn in an old bas-relief, as embarking with a 

 bird on his fist, and a dog under his arm. In those days it was 

 thought sufficient for noblemen's sons to wind the horn, and to 

 carry their hawk fair, and leave study and learning to the chil- 

 dren of meaner people. Indeed, this diversion was in such high 

 esteem among the great all over Europe, that Frederic, one of 

 the emperors of Germany, thought it not beneath him to write 

 a treatise upon hawking. 



The expense which attended this sport was very great : among 

 the old Welch princes, the king's falconer was the fourth officer 

 in the state ; but notwithstanding all his honours, he was forbid 

 to take more than three draughts of beer from his horn, lest he 

 should get drunk and neglect his duty. In the reign of James I. 

 Sir Thomas Monson is said to have given a thousand pounds for 

 a cast of hawks ; and such was their value in general, that it was 

 made felony in the reign of Edward III. to steal a ha«k. To 

 take its eggs, even in a person's own ground, was punishable 

 with imprisonment for a year and a day, together with a fine at 

 the king's pleasure. In the reign of Elizabeth the imprison- 

 ment was reduced to three months ; but the offender was to lie 

 in prison till he got security for his good behaviour for seven 

 years farther. In the earlier times the art of gunning was but 

 little practised, and the hawk was then valuable, not only for its 

 afTording diversion, but for its procuring delicacies for the table, 

 that could seldom be obtained any other way. 



Of many of the ancient falcons used for this purpose, we at 

 this time know only the names, as the exact species are so ill 

 described, that one may be very easily mistaken for another. 

 Of those in use, at present, both here and in other countries, 

 are the gyr-falcon, the falcon, the lanner, the sacre, the hobby, 

 the kestrel, and the merlin. * These are called the long- winged 



• The Jer.Palcon is of very rare occurrence in England. It is knomi in 

 the northern parts of Scotland, particularly in the Orkney and Shetland Isles. 



Iceland is the native country of this species, from whence arises its naine 

 of islandicus. It was from this island that the royal falconries of Denmark 

 and other northern kingdoms were supplied with their choicest casts of hawks. 

 It breeds in the highest and most inaccessible rocks ; but the number and 

 colour of the eggs remain as yet undescribed. — It preys upon the larger spe- 

 cies of game and wild-fowl, also on hares and other quadrupeds, upon which 

 it precipitates itself with amazing rapidity and force. Its usual mode of 

 hawking is, if possible, to out-soar its prey, and thence to dart perpendicu. 

 lar)} upon it 



