ARCHER: iMERLlNS AND THEIR TRAINING. 



end of the leash, and which is called the 'creance.' Here you 

 require the assistance of a companion, who should hold the bird 

 on his left hand. A strong gardening glove is necessary, as Merlins 

 have claws like needles and can inflict an ugly scratch at times. 

 Having given your companion the bird, you hold up the lure with his 

 food and let him have a good look at it. Now walk slowly back- 

 wards unwinding the creance as you go, and when you have gone 

 about thirty yards blow your whistle and hold up the lure, your 

 companion at the same time throwing up the bird in the air towards 

 you. For the first three or four attempts the bird may be puzzled 

 what to do, and may fly a short distance and then alight on the 

 ground. Never mind ! go to him with the lure and give him a bite 

 of food from it and then try again. He will soon fly to you and take 

 his food from the lure on your hand. 



You must now daily increase the distance until he comes to you 

 the full length of the creance. Having got your Merlin to do this 

 satisfactorily your chief difficulties are overcome, and you can try him 

 without the creance and leash. The latter you withdraw from the 

 jesses by simply taking hold of the button and pulling it through the two 

 slits of the jesses. You should next try your Merlin with a live sparrow. 

 Providing yourself with one, you go out into the fields again with a 

 companion. Vou now take the Merlin on your left hand, with- 

 drawing the leash and merely holding the Merlin by the two jesses, 

 which you pass between your fore and middle finger. Let your 

 companion take the sparrow and hold it up before the Merlin and 

 then gradually walk backwards until he is about ten or a dozen yards 

 away ; he must then throw the sparrow up in the air in your 

 direction, so as to give the Merlin a good chance at first, and at the 

 same time you throw the Merlin up towards the sparrow. He may 

 not succeed in capturing at first, but he will soon learn to do so, and 

 you can then increase the distance until he can capture a sparrow 

 with fifty or sixty yards start. When he can do this the real enjoy- 

 ment of flying your Merlin at wild birds commences; but now comes 

 also the time when your utmost care will be required. If your bird 

 at any time gives over the pursuit of his quarry and seems to be 

 * making off on his own account, out with your whistle at once and 

 swing the lure to attract his attention. 



We will suppose he has now caught his prey (which is killed at 

 once with a saw-like twist at the back of the neck), and having 

 followed him you must walk slowly up to your bird, which will be 

 standing on the ground with the sparrow in his claws. You gradually 

 approach in circles, drawing nearer and nearer each round, whistling 

 softly and calling him by his name — and occasionally swinging the 



Feb. 1885. 



