370 FALCONRY 



into the ground, and a stout iron pin, at least ten inches long, 

 must be run on to the wire and driven into the ground in the 

 centre of the perch as an extra safeguard. A ring, large enough 

 to run over the perch with /«^erf freedom, is put on to the 

 bow before the wire is made fast, and to this the hawk's leash 

 is tied. So long as this ring is large enough to run freely there 

 is no fear of the hawk ever becoming fast or hung up in any 

 way. 



An iron perch similar to the bow-perch, and figured on 

 p. 371, has been invented by Capt. Salvin. In this perch a small 

 space for the hawk to sit upon is padded with leather. It is a 

 very useful handy perch for travelling, and answers well, but for 

 permanent use at home the old wooden bow is a more natural 

 and comfortable resting-place for a hawk A canvas screen is 

 sometimes fitted to the inside of the bow-perch on an inner 

 bow of wire, between which and the perch the ring runs. We 

 do not know that there is any special advantage in this arrange- 

 ment, for if the running ring be large and loose enough it will 

 never jam, and the hawk cannot get entangled by any possi- 

 bility. 



The blocks are best placed upon grass and frequently 

 moved, and in very dry weather it should not be closely 

 mown, or feathers will suffer. Where space is confined and 

 blocks cannot be daily moved, it is a good plan to cut a circle 

 in the turf all round the block and fill it with sand, which should 

 be changed at least every other day ; hawks may be kept neat 

 and clean in a very small garden in this manner. 



Peregrines and goshawks can be kept out of doors in almost 

 all weathers, but with valuable birds we think it is better to keep 

 them in the mews at night, and when this is done it is wiser 

 not to put them out in cold windy weather or in gales with 

 rain. Simple cold without wind rarely hurts hawks, and to 

 wet they are almost impervi.ous, unless it is accompanied by a 

 gale ; but it is not the nature of a wild hawk, hardy as she is, to 

 expose herself to the full stress of bad weather, and it is not 

 right to tie hawks down in a place where they cannot obtain 



