A Summary of Fdconry. q.zp 





Chap. a. 



Of tk,Sp4rrQW*hatyk> 

 . 



THeSparbawk ( &itk Latha*) though a demy*crcature, yet for her ffiftft an d 

 mettle is worthy to march in the bed company: Nay, there is no better 

 Hawk than (he, if the be kept, as (he ought to be, lufty and frrong. Bd'idefc, 

 he that knows how to man, reclaim and fly a Sparroiv-imr^ may eallly know how to 

 keep and deal with all other Hawks. 



And herein lieth an excellency in the Sparrow -haw !^ {he* ferVes both for Winter and 

 Summer with great pleafure, and will fly at all kind of Game more than the PdcM, 

 If the Winter Sparrow-hawkpwve good,fhe will kill the Pie, the Chough, the J^, the 

 Woodcock, Thrufi, Blackbird, Fieldfare: Latham adds the Rook, 'Mew, Lapwpfg, 

 Ring- dove, Houje-dove. To be kept ftrorigly in the Hood and flown from if, (lie is a' 

 moft excellent Hawk, and will kill more Partridge in one day than the befc long- 

 winged Hawk will do in two. 



Her diet fhouldbe of the daintieft meat, unlefs in times of reft, and then alfo well 

 Waftit and dried again, efpecially if (he be mewd. 



Againft (he is to fly fhe muft be prepared with a fhort cut, to put a perfect, edg^ 

 upon her, and then (he will fly after the bed manner. Alfo (he ihould not be flown 

 in the Morning, unlefs (he be prepared over night with a fhort and 'clean fupper fo? 

 the purpofe. 



Likewife you ought to have always about you a little box full of frefh Butter, mixt 

 with a little Saffron and Sugar-candy, to give with her meat now and then j or let her 

 cat it out of the box: Which ftie will do with great delight, and it will keep her 

 head evermore loole, and in good temper, and alfo prevent the Gray, and keep her 

 proud and full of fpirit. 



For the EyasoxNjas Sparrow-hawk ( which is of greateft difficulty to bring to 

 perfection ) you muft firft feed her infome cool room, which hath two Windows, the 

 one to the North,and the other to the Eaft, which mull: be open and barred over with 

 Laths, not fo wide for a Hawk to get out, or Verrriine to come in : Strow the Cham- 

 ber with frefh leaves, and do in every refpecl: to this Room, as was ordered for the 

 mewing of the Falcon. 



Youmuft feed your Eyas with Sparrows, young Pigeons, and Sheeps hearts. Whilft 

 fhe is very young and little, you fhould cut her meat, or fhred it into fmall pellets, 

 and feed her twice or thrice aday, according as you find her tndew it oxpnt it over. 



When fhe is full fummed and flieth about, then give her whole fmall Birds, and 

 fometimesfeed her onyourFift, fuffering her to ftrain and kill the Birds in your 

 hand , and fometimes put live Birds into the Chamber where fhe is, that fhe may learn 

 to foot and to kill them 3 and let her feed upon them in your prefence : By this courfe 

 you will not only mal her, but take her off from that fcurvy quality of hiding her 

 Prey when fhe hath feifed it, a natural property belonging to all Eyaffes. Likewife 

 every morning go into the Room, call her to your Fill, whiffle and ufe fuch term? as 

 you would have her hereafter acquainted with. When fhe hath put forth all her Fea- 

 thers and is full fummed, then take her out of the Chamber, and furniui her with 

 Bells, Bewets, Jeffes, and Lines. 



It will be altogether requifite to feel her at firft, that fhe may the better endure the 

 Hood and handling : And let it be a Rufter-hood, that is large and eafie, which you 

 muft pull off and put on frequently, ftroaking her often on the Head, till fhe will 

 ftand gently. 



In the evening by Candle-light unfeel her,giving herfomewhatto tire upon,handling, 

 and ftroaking her feathers gently, hooding and unhooding heras often as you think fit. 



Before I proceed any farther, I (hall inform you how to feel a Hawk after the beft 

 manner. Take a Needle threaded with untwifted Thread, and calling your Hawk, 

 rake her by the Beak, and put the Needle through her Eye-lid, not right againft the 

 Sight of the Eye, but fomewhat nearer the Beak, that fhe may have liberty to fee 

 backward 5 and haveefpecialcarethatyouhurtnottheWeb: Then put your Needle 

 through the other Eye-lid, drawing the ends of the Thread together, tie them over 

 the Beak, not with a ftreight knot, but cut off the Threads near to the end of the 

 knot, and fo twift them together, that the Eye-lids may be raifed fo upwards that the 



Hawk 



