82 ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING 



to make her know your whistle or the chirping of your mouth, 

 and afterwards your voice." And he goes on to advise the 

 giving of a live pullet in a place where there is just enough light, 

 for the hawk to see it, and then to " chyrpe with your voyce 

 and use those other sounds which Falconers do to their hawks " ; 

 and recommends for the ordinary feeding of the haggard falcon, 

 while being reclaimed, " pullets not very old, and calves' hearts, 

 weathers' hearts, and hogs' hearts," and, if she is not eager 

 for her food, to wash the meat either in cold water or wine, and 

 occasionally to give her, fasting, " as much sugar candy as the 

 quantity of a small nut." 



The duration of the process of manning varies greatly, 

 according to the breed and individual character of the pupil. 

 Wild-caught merlins can be reclaimed by a skilled man in a 

 few days, whereas if you can reclaim a haggard peregrine in less 

 than a month you will have something to boast of. Short-winged 

 hawks, if not well waked at the first, generally require a long 

 time, although this is not invariably the case. Every falconer 

 is familiar with the story of Sir John Sebright's historic sparrow- 

 hawk, which killed a wild partridge on the tenth day after it 

 was caught. But some few sparrow-hawks are as good-tempered, 

 if skilfully treated, as others are rebellious and obstreperous. 

 Waking will enable the most unamiable pupil to be manned in 

 much less than half the time which would be otherwise required. 

 A judicious use of the hood is also essential. While the hawk 

 is still feeding freely, unhooded, and with a good appetite, she 

 should be hooded up before she begins to be at all satiated. 

 For " bating on a full crop " is to be particularly avoided at all 

 times. The remaining part of the meal can be pulled through 

 the hood. When a hawk eats readily on the fist indoors, she is 

 not yet more than half reclaimed unless she will do the same in 

 the open air. There is a vast difference between the one thing 

 and the other. First take her out a little way in the twilight, 

 or in an ill-lighted place at night, with food in her foot, on the fist. 

 Then in the same place when there are men about. By degrees 

 she will begin to think it natural enough to feed on the hand ; 

 and a tiring, tougher and tougher every day, may be substituted 

 for the succulent viands by which her attention at first had to 

 be kept up. Beware at the first, however, of carrying a hawk 

 bareheaded, unless she has something to amuse herself withal. 

 The chances are that you may rather make her more wild than 

 more tame, if she feels that nothing but the jesses and leash 

 confine her to her new perch. 



Throughout this period and during all the early stages of 



