14 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CII. XXI. 



if I had time and space, to attempt technically to 

 descrihe or make others understand all that is 

 required to constitute an accomplished falconer. 

 The moulting of the falcons, their keeping, feeding, 

 and training, must all be perfectly understood and 

 carefully attended to ; and although almost any 

 person who has his time at his command may 

 manage to keep a single hawk in good training and 

 obedience, yet to carry out the amusement to any 

 degi'ee of perfection, a professed and skilful falconer 

 must be engaged, whose sole and entire employ- 

 ment should be to attend to the health and educa- 

 tion of the birds. 



The training of falcons is much facilitated by 

 the natural disposition of the bird, which is bold, 

 confiding, and fearless ; and these qualifications, 

 assisted by the keen sense of hunger felt by all 

 animals of prey, render their taming and education 

 far more easy than would at first be supposed. 



Next to the peregrine the merlin is the best hawk 

 to train, being equally bold and fearless ; and, 

 although of so small a size, has courage enough to 

 dash fearlessly when launched from the hand at 

 whatever bird it may see on wing. A merlin be- 

 longing to a friend of mine would fiercely assail a 

 blackcock. This hawk, too, is so beautiful and so 

 finely formed, that a prettier pet cannot be found ; 



