XX INTRODUCTION. 



as one can reach to feed the birds. They are fed three 

 times a day on fresh lean beef, while growing, to keep up 

 their strength, or hunger-traces will appear, like cuts across 

 the webs of the feathers, and the latter, breaking, will render 

 the birds useless. When they are strong enough and able to 

 fly, jesses are put on the legs, and a spherical brass bell (of 

 Dutch or Indian make), on one leg, is fastened just above the 

 jess with a little narrow strip of leather termed a bewit. At 

 feeding-time, now once a day, they are called to the lure, and 

 being allowed their liberty for some weeks (in which state 

 they are said to be flying at hack), they daily gain strength 

 and wing-power, until the time comes for taking them up and 

 commencing their training, which after this stage does not 

 differ much from the method above described for passage- 

 hawks. When flying at hack, a hawk sometimes becomes 

 wild, wanders away to a distance, and kills game for herself. 

 When this is perceived, a bow-net, or other device for snaring, 

 is set for her, to which she is decoyed and recaptured. The 

 first operation in training is hooding, which, if successfully 

 performed, overcomes much dilBculty. It requires some 

 patience and dexterity, and should be practised at first in a 

 darkened room, in which the hawk will be much quieter than 

 in broad daylight. The hood is simply a cap of leather, made 

 to fit the head in such a manner as to obscure the light, a 

 single aperture only being left, through which the beak pro- 

 trudes, and a slit behind, which is opened and closed, when 

 the hood is put on and off, by means of braces, one pair of 

 which opens, the other pair closes the slit ; the eye-pieces, 

 which to prevent injury to the eyes are carefully blocked 

 out, are covered for ornament with red or green cloth. By 

 temporarily blindfolding the hawk, the hood causes her 

 to sit perfectly quiet, and prevents her from bating, or 

 fluttering, at the risk of breaking feathers, as she would 

 do if frightened by passers-by until gradually accustomed to 

 them. 



Allusion has already been made to the jesses, or soft straps 

 of leather (dogskin is best), which are fastened to the legs of 

 the hawk, by which to hold her on the glove and tie her to 



