i8 
THE HA WK, 
has a soft down all over it, to keep it warm, like 
the owl ; and as soon as all this down is gone, the 
bird can fly. The man who had the care of the 
Hawk then put him into a room made for him, that 
they used to call *'the mews." Here he was fed, 
and, in time, made very tame, and then he was able 
to go out to hunt. When the man took him out, 
the Hawk wore a hood over his head and eyes, so 
that he did not see any game, or prey, till it was 
time for him to fly ; and he was tied to the man's 
fist When a bird rose up, the man took off" the 
hood, and let the Hawk go free. As soon as the 
Hawk saw his prey, he flew up in the air so high 
as to be able to rush down on it, and kill it with a 
blow from his beak. If the prey rose as high as 
the Hawk, it was so far safe, for a Hawk will not 
fly up at its prey, but will only dart down upon it. 
As soon as the prey was dead, the Hawk flew back 
to the man who took it out. 
The eye of the Hawk is very keen, and its beak 
is like a hook. The male bird is not so big as his 
mate. The nest is made in a rock or high tree. 
