TIME FOR FL YING HA WKS 465 



and maintain it in health and condition. When in 

 health, a falcon should have a full, clear eye, a 

 glossy plumage and a good appetite, without which 

 latter it would not fly at game. The higher the con- 

 dition the better, but some birds eat more than others ; 

 this must be watched by their owner. Some, again, 

 will only fly well when they are fat. 



The more hawks are in the open air the better. 

 They should never be flown in a country where there 

 is much wire ; a stoop after a grouse, or even a 

 slow flight, against such an obstruction is probably 

 fatal. 



When a hawk has had its bath, and has to fly the 

 same day, it must be left unhooded to dry itself. 



The afternoon is the best time to fly hawks at any 

 quarry ; but if the falconer is the owner of a moor, and 

 wants wild birds to lie, he cannot do better than fly his 

 falcon over it, and take it in after a few high circles, 

 being careful not to put up any grouse. When the bird 

 is taken in the shooting may proceed. 



Hawks should never be flown until they have 

 'cast,' for if this is not observed they will rake away, 

 and will not be easily taken in again until they have 

 ' cast,' if at all, but will then fly at some quarry perhaps 

 miles away. They should never be flown until they 

 are keen, or what is termed ' in yarak,' which means 

 'keen with hunger,' and this they are not until late in 

 the day, unless they * cast ' in the night or early morn- 

 ing. They require to be better fed during the winter 

 than in the summer, and the colder the weather the 

 more food they should have. In cold and wet weather 

 they should be ' gorged ' every fourth day. 



Some hawks get very fond of their trainers, the 



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