2i6 BOOKS ON FALCONRY. 



having to consider themselves privileged in being allowed to 

 witness the sport, and to repair the damages to crops, &c., which 

 it sometimes occasioned. This was the state of things in Japan 

 when the Daimios were masters of the life and property of their 

 subjects. But all has been changed since the reforms of the present 

 day have brought their civilising influence to bear in these remote 

 lands, and given the peasants protection for their crops. Falconers 

 have dropped off, abandoning their annual expeditions to the 

 steep rocks, where they were wont to seek their half-fledged 

 pupils. Hawking may now be regarded as a thing of the past in 

 Japan, for only a few magnates, whose extensive estates permit 

 such a luxury, occasionally indulge in this delightful pastime. 

 " To a very limited extent " (he says) " I was enabled to learn 

 something of the old sport. ... It varies according to the 

 quarry flown at. I never saw very small hawks flown quite loose. 

 A very thin silk line, tightly twisted, about the size of ordinary 

 sewing silk, but much stronger, is fastened to the jesses. This 

 line is about thirty yards in length. It is used more to restrain 

 the hawk from following the quarry too far, than to prevent it from 

 trying to escape. Goshawks and Falcons are always flown loose. 

 The falconer gets as close to the quarry as he can, screening it 

 from view of the hawk by means of the long sleeve of the Japanese 

 dress. As soon as he is near enough he withdraws the sleeve and 

 the hawk is cast off. Hawking on horseback seems to have 

 died out ; at least during my long stay there I never heard of 

 any. According to description, it must have resembled the 

 hawking which is still practised in Persia." 



