426 
THE LIVING WORLD. 
chain and of rewards in the form of some agreeable article of food. Gradually 
the distance between the falconer and the falcon is increased until at length it 
reaches the limit of the vocal powers of the master. Then a leather-covered 
wooden heron is used as the table from which the falcon must feed, so that it 
learns to associate good living with the back of a heron. Next the bird must 
learn to answer the call of its keeper, even though it has to leave its feast, after 
which the counterfeit presentment of a heron is bloodied so that the falcon may 
take another step in its educa¬ 
tional progress. Next live birds 
are substituted for the dummy 
WINDHOVER. 
gerfalcon. 
and all previous lessons reviewed, and when the result proves satisfactory 
the falcon is unchained and compelled to repeat his lessons until he 
learns his duties. When all this has been accomplished and the falcon 
has been converted into the companion of sportsmen, it is no longer a 
bird of prey, but when allowed to seek its quarry, kills and drops it, to 
be picked up by an equerry. Frederick II. was compelled by his falcons 
to raise the siege of Parma; for being unable, during the siege, to deny 
himself the pleasure of hunting, the Parmese took advantage of the temporary 
absence of the monarch and his nobility, and sallying forth defeated the leader- 
