C, ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING 



by George Oxer, who, with the Retfords (James and William) 

 and the sons of John Frost, is still living. There are at the 

 present moment several very young falconers who bid fair to 

 attain distinction, though their training is derived mostly from 

 lessons imparted to them by the amateurs who have brought 

 them out. It is to be hoped that, now the facilities for travel- 

 ling are so immensely increased, some modern imitator of 

 Frederick II. will bring back from India a native falconer or 

 two, whose experience in the tropics would be invaluable, and 

 thus infuse new life into the professional world of Europe. 



Of amateurs there has been for some years past no lack in 

 England ; and want of space alone prevents the enumeration of 

 the distinguished falconers who still keep up in the British 

 islands and dependencies the best traditions of their art. 

 Amongst these it would be unfair to pass over the most con- 

 spicuous names, such as those of the late Lord Lilford and 

 Captain Salvin and Mr. William Brodrick, the first named as 

 justly famous for his acquaintance with hawks as for his know- 

 ledge of ornithology. Captain Salvin first familiarised the 

 modern English people with the training of cormorants, and 

 with the flight with peregrines at rooks. Mr. Brodrick illustrated 

 with his own admirable coloured figures the handsome and 

 useful book on falconry which he published jointly with 

 Captain Salvin. Another joint-author with the latter was the 

 Rev. Gage Earle Freeman, who for many years most success- 

 fully flew, in a far from perfect country, peregrines at grouse, 

 merlins at larks, goshawks and sparrow-hawks at various quarry. 

 The small book which owes its authorship to these two masters 

 of the art has long been out of print. It is impossible to praise 

 it too highly as a handbook for beginners. Of living falconers, 

 no one can be compared in experience and general knowledge 

 with Major Hawkins Fisher, of the Castle, Stroud, whose game- 

 hawks have for more than fourteen years annually killed good 

 bags of grouse at Riddlehamhope, in Northumberland, and 

 whose favourite peregrines, such as " Lady Jane," " Lundy," and 

 " Band of Hope," have been a terror to partridges in Wilts and 

 Gloucestershire. Mr. St. Quintin, of Scampston Hall, Yorkshire, 

 probably the most successful game-hawker of whom we have 

 any record, has recently brought to a high degree of perfection 

 the flight with peregrines at gulls. The fine sport shown at 

 rooks every year in Wiltshire by the Old Hawking Club, is due 

 chiefly to the ability and energy of their secretary, the Hon. 

 Gerald Lascelles. In flights with short-winged hawk of both 

 descriptions, Mr. John Riley, of Putley Court, Herefordshire, is 



