The Subje£ls Treated. 25 



" difclofed ; " they do not breed but "eyer;" it was a want of culture 

 in any falconer to fay that hawks were building their nefl, they 

 " timbered " it. When the young could firfb leave the nefl they were 

 " Boweffes," and when they could fly they were " Branchers," and 

 then was the time to catch and train them. 



When the young were caught, which was with nets, the firft thing 

 was to "enfile" them, that is, to "take a needle and thread and 

 few up the eyelids," fo that they " fee never a dele." After a night 

 and a day the threads were cut foftly for fear of breaking the. " lyddis 

 of the ighen," then they were fed with well-wafhed flefh, but kept 

 awake the next night and day, after which they were fuppofed to 

 be tame, or " reclaimed." 



The various difeafes to which Hawks are liable are then explained, 

 and medicines prefcribed for them. Some of thefe are very abfurd 

 and fome contradidlory. Then comes a variety of terms for every 

 movement and habit, for every limb or part of the body, and for 

 almoft every feather in the plumage. In this minute defcription the 

 author begins at the feet of the bird and fo works upwards, as when 

 " Knyghttis been harneffide." 



Next we are inftrudled how important it is to be careful of the 

 manner of guiding the Hawk the firft time it is ready to "nomme" 

 a partridge ; how to reward her by giving her the head and neck, after 

 which on no account is fhe to fly again till fhe has "rejoiced," i.e., 

 fharpened her beak and fhaken her feathers. More medicines follow, 

 among which is how to get rid of " lies " (lice). " Take a piece of 

 rough blanket and hold it to the fire till it is quite hot ; wrap the 

 hawk therein, and without hurting hold her ' foftely and ftylly ' in your 

 hands, and all the vermin will creep into the cloth." A happy thought 

 this ! / 



The " Geffe," or ftrip of leather by which the Hawk is held when 



carrying her on the hand, is next defcribed, together with the creance 



or long line. More medicines ftill, and then how to treat Hawks when 



" in mew," or moulting, a matter of great importance. To promote 



o 



