Transcriber Notes Text emphasis is displayed as _Italics_. Whole and fractional parts of numbers are displayed as: 7-3/4. THE ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING [Illustration: _Falcons and Goshawk Weathering._] THE ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING BY E. B. MICHELL WITH THREE PHOTOGRAVURES BY G. E. LODGE AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET, W. C. LONDON 1900 TO THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF WARWICK AND ALL OTHER LOVERS OF HAWKING THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR PREFACE Notwithstanding the large number of books, both ancient and modern, which have been written on the art of Hawking, it cannot be said that the English-speaking people generally have more than a very vague idea of the character of the sport, or the mode in which it was, and still is, conducted. Yet, in an experience of Hawking which extends over more than thirty years, the author has found that a great and increasing curiosity, and even a real interest in the subject, prevails, especially amongst sporting men, who are in many notable instances beginning to believe that hawks and their owners have been unduly disparaged, and that there is more to be said in their favour than has for the last two centuries been imagined. There has not been space in this volume to discuss the much-vexed question how far the use of hawks is compatible with the preservation of game. But it may be said here, without any reservation, that wherever experiments have been actually tried, Hawking has been found not to spoil but to improve the shooting. The object of the author has been to describe as briefly as was consistent with clearness the birds now chiefly used in the chase, and the manner of training and flying them. His hope is that some of the sportsmen who read these pages may, in spite of the difficulties which they will have to encounter, resolve to give this old and honourable sport a trial. The use of technical terms has been avoided as far as possible; and those which could not be excluded have been explained in the text. When the reader is puzzled by any word, a reference to the Index will direct him to the page where the meaning of it is given. CONTENTS PAGES CHAPTER I History and Literature Antiquity of hawking in China--Introduction into Europe--Royal and Imperial falconers--Decline of the sport--Survival and revivals--Modern falconers--Early writers--Leading authorities--Modern books 1-8 CHAPTER II The Birds Used in Hawking Three classes--Long-winged hawks: Ger-peregrine, and kindred varieties, shaheens, barbary, saker, lanner, and desert falcons, hobby, merlin, and kestrel--Short-winged hawks: goshawks and sparrow-hawks--Eagles, golden, Bonelli's, etc., falconets 9-39 CHAPTER III Furniture and Fittings