HAWKS AND HAWKING. 275 
Persians, who in turn instructed the Greeks and Arabs. This 
view receives some confirmation from a recently published French 
translation of an Arabic MS. of the 10th century on Hunting and 
Hawking, which is now before me.* In this work it is stated that 
the first falconer, according to an Arabic tradition, was a King of 
Persia. During one of his excursions he was greatly interested 
in watching unobserved the actions of a wild hawk. He saw it 
perch upon a bough “with the air of a sovereign upon his throne,” 
where it watched for an opportunity to seize a passing bird. He 
saw it at last take one, and having made a meal of it, fly down to 
the river, drink and bathe, and then return to its tree. He was 
struck with admiration at its majestic appearance, its wonderful 
patience, and its power over other birds, which it seemed to take 
by sovereignty of nature, and was seized with a desire to possess 
it. His fowlers gratified his inclination by snaring it. He caused 
it to be tied on a perch near him, and succeeded in taming it, 
learning many a lesson from observation of its good qualities. 
It was asserted, indeed, as a consequence, that this king, who 
was naturally of a violent disposition, became, through this lesson, 
a better administrator and a wiser sovereign. ‘The Arabic writer 
from whom I quote remarks that ‘‘the savans of Greece pretend 
that it was in Greece that falcons were first trained, but Mohamed 
ben Mangali (the author) says, and is inclined to believe, that it 
was in Persia that the art of Falconry was invented.” 
It would be beside my present purpose, however, to discuss 
any further the question of origin, or to detail the development 
and spread of Falconry in countries beyond the British Islands. 
This would not only be a very considerable task, but it is to a 
great extent rendered unnecessary by the existence of Professor 
Schlegel’s admirable folio work, ‘ Traité de Fauconnerie,’ which is 
illustrated, by Mr. Wolf, with coloured plates of all the hawks 
used by falconers, and which should be consulted by everyone 
who takes an interest in this subject. 
Although the precise date of the introduction cf Hawking 
into England cannot now be ascertained, we know from several 
sources that it was practised by our ancestors in early Saxon 
times. In a letter addressed by King Ethelbert (a. p. 748—760) 
to St. Boniface, Archbishop of Mayence, who died in 755, the 
* «Sid Mohamed el Mangali, Traité de Venerie, traduit de lArabe par Florian 
Pharaon,’ Tiré 4 300 exemplaires numérotés. Paris, 1800. 
