210 FALCONRY. Class II. 



" The cinereous eagle is frequent in the south- 

 ern parts of Russia, as far as trees grow, parti- 

 cularly about the Volga, where it winters and 

 breeds, and though scarce in Sibiria, has been 

 observed as far as lake Baikal"* J. L. 



FALCONRY. 



Falconry was the principal amusement of our 

 ancestors : a person of rank scarcely stirred out 

 without his hawk on his hand; which, in old 

 paintings, is the criterion of nobility. Harold, 

 afterwards king of England, when he went on a 

 most important embassy into Normandy, is 

 painted embarking with a bird on his fist, and a 

 dog under his arm;t and in an antient picture 

 of the nuptials of Henry VI. a nobleman is re- 

 presented in much the same manner ;+ for in 

 those days, It zvas thought sufficient for noble- 

 men s sons to winde their horn and to carry their 

 hawk fair, and leave study and learning to the 

 children of mean people.^ The former were the 

 accomplishments of the times ; Spenser makes 

 his gallant Sir Tristram boast. 



* Pallas. MSS. 



f Montfaucon, mqpumens de la monarchic francoise, i. 3/& 



X Mr. Walpoles anecdotes of painting, i. 33. 



§ Biog. Brit, article Caocton. 



