9278 Birds. 
the king’s deer was not more certain of condign punishment from the Norman than 
the plebeian sehaur who should dare to cast a hawk in the Sahara. No agha or sheik 
of high degree ever moves for war, pleasure, or business unattended by his falconers, 
who are his confideutial lieutenants. The care of three falcons is considered sufficient 
employment for one falconer with an assistant; and on the march one or two of these 
important personages follow, mounted immediately behind the sheik, with a hooded 
falcon on the wrist, another on the shoulder, and another on the top of his head. The 
houbara bustard is the favourite quarry, but eagles, kites, sand grouse (and, in the case 
of the large sakk’r falcon, the gazelle), affurd equal sport to the huntsman. Our day’s 
pursuit was to be the bustard. When one is descried the whole cavalcade instantly 
halt; the hawk on the wrist is transferred to the hand of his master, who, attended by 
the favoured few, instantly sets off, and, unhooding his bird, throws him towards the 
bustard. Much skill is exercised in drawing the attention of the falcon to the game 
before it rises. Should it unfortunately take wing before its pursuer has poised herself 
above it, an ill-trained or impetuous bird is very apt to strike it in the air; this, 
according to the view of your desert connoisseur, is a most unpardonable offence, to be 
punished with death. A skilful hawk will at once rise to a considerable height; then 
swooping down, make feints till the bustard takes to its legs instead of its wings. 
The falcon then poises herself over it, while a second is flung off the wrist, and the 
two together give chase, the speed of the houbara being such that a fleet Arab 
horse can scarcely keep up with the pursuit. The pvor bird runs along, aiding its 
speed by a perpetual fanning with its wings, its head stretehed forward like a corn- 
crake’s, and its conspicuous black and white ruff folded close over its neck, a pitiable 
contrast to the proud fellow who was lately strutting with head erect, elevated crest 
and expanded ruff, challenging all comers. The pursuers hang over him at the height 
of only a few yards, and at each effort he makes to take wing swoop down with a feint. 
It is considered the excellency of a falcon to make these feints at the quarry till he is 
nearly exhausted, when the fatal swoop is made, and the bird instantly drops, struck 
dead by the hind claw having pierced its vertebre. This manner of hunting is pro- 
bably adopted to afford more prolonged excitement to the horsemen, but chiefly from 
the singular mode of self-defence adopted by the houbara, and which I observed on 
this occasion. As the hawk approaches the houbara ejects, both from the mouth and 
vent, a slimy fluid. A well-trained bird eludes this shower by repeated feints, until 
the quarry’s supply of moisture is exhausted. An impatient one rushes in and 
gets his whole plumage so bedaubed that his flight is materially impeded, and his 
swoop when made is irresolute. Three houbaras and some sand grouse were captured 
in this day’s expedition by three falcons, and the chase was termivated merely on 
account of the fatigue of the horses. Bou Disah expatiated much on the chase of the 
gazelle, and I have seen one brought into camp taken by these means. But this is a 
very dangerous pursuit for the falcons, who frequently impale themselves on the horns 
of their prey. It is not uncommon for both pursuer and victim to fall dead at one 
mutual stroke. In the pursuit of the sand grouse no such dallying is allowed as with 
the bustard. The covey rises, the hawk is thrown off with a jerk, another and another 
are cast off in rapid succession; each singles out his own victim, and strikes him in 
mid-air. But the same falcon is seldom trained for both sports. The flight of the 
sand grouse resembles that of the golden plover, and they attempt in wheeling circles 
to rise above the hawk. Thus, scattering at a great height, they often distract his 
pursuit, and unless the falcon has been unhooded and thrown the very moment they 
