20 ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING 



over it ; to " mute " is to evacuate ; and to •' cast " is to throw 

 up the refuse feathers, bones, and other indigestible matter 

 which remains in her crop after a meal has been digested. 

 When a hawk is pushed or forcibly held down by the hands 

 she is said to be "cast" (French, abattue); and when she is 

 bound up in a wrapping, so as not to be able to move, she is 

 " mailed." When a silk thread is passed by means of a needle 

 through the upper eyelids and made fast under the chin she is 

 said to be " seeled," and the process of undoing these fastenings 

 is called " unseeling." When she stretches her wings upwards 

 over her head she " warbles." When quarry is put up for her, 

 she is " served " with it. When she drives a quarry to take 

 refuge in covert she is said to " put in " ; and when she rises in 

 the air over the place where the quarry has gone into hiding 

 she "makes her point." If instead of doing this she goes and 

 takes perch on a tree or other place of vantage, she " blocks." 

 When her digestive organs are brought into good condition she 

 is said to be " enseamed." 



Most of these words can be used indifferently for both long- 

 winged and short-winged hawks ; but others are inappropriate 

 for the latter. Thus it is wrong to call the claws of a short- 

 winged hawk talons ; and a goshawk or sparraw-hawk does not 

 "mute," but "slice." 



BLACK Shaheen {Falco peregrinator, or Falco atriceps) 



This hawk is decidedly smaller than the true peregrine, the 

 female hardly exceeding a big tiercel in length or weight. It 

 is distinguished by the darker colour of its head, and especially 

 of the sides and moustachial streak, which may be called black. 

 The under parts of the body have a more or less pronounced 

 rufous tinge ; and the ends of the wings, when closed, approach 

 more nearly to the end of the tail. 



The black shaheen is docile, and more easily reclaimed than 

 the peregrine ; and is a great favourite with some of the Indian 

 falconers, although the many distinguished Europeans who 

 have flown hawks in that country express themselves less 

 satisfied, and rather doubt the courage of peregrinator in the 

 field. The quarry is the same as that of the peregrine, but it 

 is only the strongest individuals which can be expected to 

 cope with such heavy birds as the latter can tackle. Of the 

 rapidity of its flight there can be no doubt ; but Colonel Delme 

 Radcliffe says that it is inferior to the peregrine in " ringing " 

 flights. 



