ORDER ACCIPITRES. 213 



species : but it may be observed, generally, that the larger 

 the species, the older the individual, and the more northerly its 

 habitat, the greater is the difficulty of training. 



This is the case with the gerfalcon of Norway. The first care 

 with respect to him, is to weaken his strength without exposing 

 him to fall into a decline : this is done by reducing his allow- 

 ance of food one half, and steeping the meat which is given him 

 in water. This regimen is continued for about six weeks, after 

 which they tie down one of his wings with a thread, and throw 

 water over his body with a sponge : they touch the fore and 

 hind part of his head without removing the hood^ they rub him 

 with a pigeon's wing, and if they find the movements of his 

 head supple and obedient to the hand, they loosen the hood, 

 and uncover by degrees his eyes, always leaving the beak 

 engaged, and removing and restoring the light by turns. 

 These operations are commenced in the morning, in a solitary 

 and gloomy place, and continued all day long, and in the 

 evening the bird is sufficiently mild, to be carried, though un- 

 covered, into another place, where several persons appear 

 before him, taking care not to go behind, lest they might 

 frighten him. They repeat the exercise of removing and put- 

 ting on the hood from time to time, and making him feel the 

 pigeon's wing until the middle of the night, for the rest of 

 which they allow him to take his repose ; still, however, two 

 months are requisite to complete his education. 



The above-mentioned lessons are repeated for fifteen days, 

 leaving the bird, by little and little, a longer time uncovered ; 

 and accustoming him to noise, to motion, and to the sight of 

 dogs, which are held at a little distance in a leash. They give 

 him small portions of food, first holding the hood half closed, 

 then removing it altogether : finally, they give him his full al- 

 lowance. They then carry him into another chamber, having 

 placed upon the table an ox's tail, towards which they draw 

 him by presenting him with the hand a pigeon's wing all 

 bloody, on which he falls furiously, and which they let fall 



