100 MARVELS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD 



proper,' which is manufactured with strong leather, 

 and usually adorned with a tuft of feathers at its 

 summit, being worn by trained hawks. Each has 

 an opening in front in order to allow for the pro- 

 trusion of the bird's beak, and is secured over its 

 head by pulling together some interlacing thongs. 

 The brail is a soft strip of leather employed for the 

 purpose of preventing the hawk from making use 

 of its wings ; and the jesses are strings of the same 

 material, measuring about eight inches in length, 

 to which a swivel is attached. The latter are 

 secured to the bird's legs, and, when once in place, 

 are never removed. The leash is a long leathern 

 thong that can be fixed on to one of the swivels 

 or released as required ; while the bells are secured 

 to the bird's legs, and serve to denote its where- 

 abouts. 



The first thing to do when training a hawk is to 

 tame it, and accustom it to be in the presence of 

 human beings and to be handled by them. The 

 preliminary stages of this work are always under- 

 taken in a dark room, and the bird is hooded in 

 order to keep it quiet. The owner carries the 

 feathered pupil upon his hand for hours on end, 

 and constantly strokes its back and legs with a 

 feather, with the result that it gradually learns to 

 sit still and to submit to being touched. At feeding 

 time an offering of meat is laid across the bird's 

 feet, and it feeds with its hood on ; but as its educa- 

 tion proceeds, it is fed with its hood off ; first by 

 the light of a candle and afterwards in full daylight. 

 The hawk is then ready to be taught to come to 



