CHAPTER VII. 



THE GAME-BIRDS AND " QUARRY " FLOWN AT BY 

 FALCONERS. 



/"* AME-PRESERVING, as we now-understand the term, 

 was probably unknown in Shakespeare's days, for 

 sportsmen at that time had not the means of making such 

 large bags, and consequently the necessity for breeding and 

 rearing game artificially did not exist. Nature's liberal 

 supply sufficed to satisfy the moderate demand, and the 

 sportsman always returned home well pleased. We 

 take it, however, that this satisfaction resulted more from 

 an appreciation of sport than from the possession of a 

 heavy bag. What more enjoyable than the pursuit of 

 partridges, " with grey gos-hawk in hand," as Chaucer 

 hath it, or a flight at heron with a falcon ? 



The skill, too, which was required to kill a bird or 

 rabbit with a single bolt from a cross-bow was far greater 

 than that which is needed to achieve the same result 

 with an ounce of shot from a breech-loader. Not that 



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