478 MOULTING 



the shoulders and breast, and lastly the tail and the 

 primary feathers, the first of the latter being the last 

 feather cast. 



Different systems are advocated and adopted for 

 keeping hawks in the best health and condition during 

 moulting. Some people prefer to keep them in work 

 throughout the moulting period, but maintaining them 

 in high condition, and giving ample and additional 

 shelter during bad weather. 



Where hawks are used during the time they are in 

 moult, they are longer in regaining their plumage. On 

 the other hand, unless they receive a sufficient amount 

 of exercise during the long period of inactivity, they 

 are apt to lose power of wing. 



Perhaps the best plan is to place the birds singly, or 

 two or three of the same sex together, in a large, warm 

 loft, the floor being covered with sand, and the beams 

 with matting, and a bath always at hand for them ; but 

 the loft must be very warm, as this warmth will assist 

 the moulting process, and, by reason of the birds being 

 able to fly about and exercise themselves, they come 

 out in good condition, weakened but little by the 

 moulting, and almost as active on the wing as previous 

 to it. In the case of goshawks, each bird must be 

 kept in a separate room, as they are otherwise certain 

 to fight. Passage-hawks, requiring to be kept in lower 

 condition than nestlings, moult later, and are longer in 

 regaining their plumage. 



In order to render the new feathers broad and 

 strong, hawks must be very well kept when moulting. 

 Beef entirely as food is too stimulating. A variety of 

 food with castings, such as warm pigeons, rooks, rabbits, 

 and the yolk of a raw Q.gg added to the beef, which 



