HAWK. 
401 
master, who recalls him. They never failed to re- 
ward his first essays with the neck and entrails of 
the captured prey. These gratuities, added to the 
caresses of the falconer, animated the bird to do his 
duty, and particularly prevented him from bearing 
away his bells; or flying off, so as to return no 
more. 
The hawk shows the most sport when flown at a 
kite or heron ; for, instead of flying directly for- 
wards like other birds, these, when threatened by 
their enemy, rise as nearly perpendicularly as pos- 
sible, their pursuer at the same time trying to rise 
above them, till both gradually retire from the 
sight of the spectators, and are at length lost in the 
clouds. This, however, is only for a short time ; 
they are presently seen descending, and struggling 
together with all their might ; one using every art 
to overcome its prey, the other making every effort 
to escape from its enemy. The conflict is soon 
over ; the victorious hawk returns to his master, and 
is rewarded with a share of the spoil. 
Falcons were sometimes trained to the barbarous 
custom of what was called flying at the fur. When 
the falcon was very tame, they took a live hare, 
and broke one of his legs, or else they made use 
of a hare’s skin stuffed with straw, with a piece 
of chicken’s flesh, or whatever food the falcon was 
most fond of, fixed to it. This skin was fastened to 
the girth of a horse by a long string ; and as it was 
dragged along, the bird, deluded by the sight, and 
supposing it to be a hare, darted upon it ; and by 
2 D 
VOL. I. 
