nEVIEW, 521 



Modern savages seem to acquire the use of projectiles, up to archery ; 

 of lines, nets, and snares ; of metals, up to iron ; and of tamed 

 mammalia, up to the horse ; before they learn falconry ; and are 

 generally poor hands at poultry-farming of any sort. 



The use of short-winged hawks for short- winged and ground-game 

 is possible to people even so little civilized as the Bedars of Shorapur ; 

 and Martial's falconer, who could, like them, use dogs to help, may 

 have been little above them in condition, and even lived by his trade. 

 But for any great development of it there can be little chance without 

 a class of sportsmen of wealth and leisure, such as the Arab and Tartar 

 chieftains, the Assyrian kings, the mediaeval princes and barons, and 

 the feudatory Princes of India. 



When these get civilized up to the use of good sporting firearms, 

 it is the beginning of the end of falconry ; which is not likely to see 

 A.D. 2000,— more's the pity. 



We have been rather prolix about falconry; because, to many of 

 us, it is the chief interest connected with falcons. And its history has 

 required criticism rather than its practice, because there are plenty of 

 good English books about the latter (one of which has been quoted), 

 and it is a frequent subject of periodical literature. 



To some of us, however, the wild falcons, as noticed by our author, 

 are nearer and dearer. His genus Falco includes the large falcons and 

 the hobbies. We have two hobbies — the European Falco suhbuteo, as a 

 cold weather visitor from the Paleearctic region ; and F. severus, a 

 resident of the whole Oriental tropic region ; at least down to the 

 Line. Both are small graceful birds, chiefly insectivorous, and 

 chiefly interesting to such readers as need little farther remark upon 

 them here. 



The typical falcons require more notice. They are large birds from 

 18 to 23 inches long, and noticeable afar by their long pointed wings 

 and rather long rounded tail, but not so long in proportion to the wing 

 as a typical hawk's. Their position in the air is lofty, and they have a 

 very powerful and graceful flight. Their characteristic stoop on prey 

 is somewhat like that of the osprey, but more curved, as an Indian 

 " tulwar" is more curved than an Enoiish sabre. But there need be no 

 confusion with the osprey, as it is much larger, and never stoops over 

 land. The falcons never stoop into water, preferring the air. If 



