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by the water-side, made by histo- | gos-hawk, a laner, or a swan, should rians and romance-writers of the suffer imprisonment for a year and a middle ages, is a circumstance that day, and be liable to a fine at the led to the supposition that the pur- king's pleasure." suit of water-fowls afforded the most diversion. In the poetical romance of the Squire of Low Degree, the king of Hungary promises his daughter, that, at her return from hunting, she should hawk by the river-side with gos-hawk, gentle falcon, and other well-tutored birds: so also Chaucer, in the rhyme of Sir Thopaz, says, that he could hunt the wild-deer,

"And ryde on hawkynge by the ryver With grey gos-hawke in hand."

The fair sex were about this period renowned for their partiality to hawking; and, besides accompanying their male friends when engaged in this sport, they frequently, it seems, practised it by themselves. Johan Sarisburiensis, who wrote in the thirteenth century, asserts that they even excelled the men in their knowledge and exercise of the art of falconry."

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Hentzner, who wrote his Itinerary in the year 1598, affirms that hawking was then the general sport of the English nobility: yet so rapidly did this amusement decline, that, before the time of the civil wars, it was almost forgotten. This no doubt arose from the introduction and gradual improvement of the gun, which ensured a greater certainty of procuring game, and rendered all the expense of training and maintaining hawks unnecessary.

Of late years, however, there has evidently been an attempt to revive the diversion of hawking by several country gentlemen; among the foremost of whom stands Sir John Sebright, Bart., who, about two years since, published his Observations upon Hawking, giving, among other entertaining particulars, a pleasing description of the mode of breaking and managing the several kinds of From the Carta de Foresta ob-hawks used in falconry. tained from King John, it would seem that no person, except of the highest rank, was, under the Norman laws, permitted to breed hawks; but by that charter every free man was privileged to have eyries of hawks, falcons, eagles, and herons in his own woods.

In the 37th of Edward III. the stealing and concealing of a hawk was made felony by the legislature; and in the same reign, as appears from the register of Orleton, bishop of Winchester, the bishop of Ely excommunicated certain persons for stealing a bawk belonging to himself, that was sitting on its perch in the cloisters of Bermondsey Abbey in Southwark.

As Sir John, from his long practical knowledge in the art of reclaiming these birds, is no mean authority to quote, we shall proceed to cite a few of the most interesting facts adverted to by the Hon. Baronet, without particular regard to their order.

In the commencement of the treatise we are informed that the village of Falconswaerd, near Bois-le-duc, in Holland, has for many years furnished falconers to the rest of Europe. "I have known," says the author, " many falconers in England, and in the services of different princes on the continent, but I never met with one of them who was not a native of Falconswaerd."

Even the very eggs of these birds The two species of birds genewere protected by royal edicts; an rally used in falconry are the slight instance of which occurs in the falcon (falco gentilis) and the goseleventh year of the reign of Henry hawk (falco palumbarius). The forVII., when it was decreed, that mer is called a long-winged hawk, "any person taking from the nest, or one of the lure; the latter, a or destroying the eggs of a falcon, a short-winged hawk, or one of the

fist. All hawks, according to the length of their wings, and to their

mode of flight, belong to one or the other of these two classes. The slight falcon may either be taken from the nest (or eyrie, as it is called, from the German word for egg), or may be caught when it has attained its full growth. It is then termed a passage-hawk. Slight falcons breed in cliffs in several parts of England, but are more abundant in Scotland and in the northern regions. The old birds, if not destroyed, return every year to the

same nest.

A cap of leather, called a hood, is to be put on the hawk's head the moment he is taken. It is so constructed as to prevent him from seeing, but allows him to feed, and may be put on or taken off at pleasure; but to hood a hawk (we are told) requires a degree of manual dexterity that is not easily acquired. Slips of light leather, seven or eight inches long and a quarter of an inch wide, are to be made fast to each of his legs. These are called jesses, and are to be fastened to a small swivel fixed to the end of a thong of leather three or four feet long, called a leash, so as easily to be detached from the swivel when the hawk is required to fly. The jesses always remain on his legs. He is also to be equipped with two light bells, fastened to his legs by two light pieces of soft leather, by the sound of which, when he is lost, we may be assisted in recovering him. A hawk is never to be touched by the

hand but when it is absolutely necessary; but he must of course be held during these operations, care being taken not to break his feathers, or to do him any other injury. A block of solid wood, in the form of a truncated cone, one foot in height, eight or nine inches in diameter at the top, and large enough at the base not to be easily overturned, is the resting-place of the hawk. A small staple is driven into the top, and to this he is to be tied, with sufficient length of leash to allow him to go from the block to the ground at pleasure.

The following is the practice adopted by falconers in partridge hawking.

An open country is required for this sport. The falconers must be on horseback, provided with a steady pointer, and one or two spaniels under good command. When a partridge is marked down, or pointed by the dog, the hawk is to be unhooded and cast off. He will fly round the falconer, and, if a good bird, mount to a considerable height

the higher the better. If he ranges to too great a distance, he may be made to incline inwards by the voice of the falconer, and by the lure; but these should be used with discretion: for it is much better that a flight should occasionally be lost from a hawk's ranging too far, than that his pitch should be lowered (as is often the case) by too much luring. This, and the not giving the hawk time to mount before the game is sprung, are very common faults in the management of slight falcons.

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will not suffer horsemen to approach | of hawk. Sir John Sebright regrets that this language should prevail, as it has led (he says) to many mistakes. The term falcon, he considers, should be applied, par excellence, to the falco gentilis-a distinction to which he is well entitled, by reason of his superior qualities as a bird of chase.

When the dog points at a distance the hawk is to be cast off, as it will both prevent the birds from rising and give him time to mount. When the partridge rises the hawk will dart down to it with wonderful velocity, and either take it in the first flight, or force it to take refuge in a bush or hedge. In the latter case the hawk will make his point, that is, rise perpendicularly in the air over the spot where the bird got into covert. The falconer is now to attend solely to his hawk, and leave it to others to assist the dog in springing the bird. The hawk should wait on at a moderate distance, but his flight should not be lowered by an injudicious use of the lure.

When the hawk has taken the partridge, the falconer alone is to approach him, at first walking round him at a distance with the greatest circumspection, and drawing near him by degrees, as he seems disposed to bear it. At length, by kneeling down, whistling as at the time of feeding, the arm may be extended gently (for all sudden emotions are to be avoided), and by taking hold of the partridge, which the hawk will certainly not quit, he may be placed on the fist, still grasping his prey in his talons. The hawk is then to be hooded, after having been rewarded with the head of the partridge; or, if not required to fly again, he should be immediately fed.

A great many partridges may be killed by means of the gos-hawk in the beginning of the season, when the birds are young, and particularly in a dewy morning, as their wings becoming wet from their having been driven into the hedges, they will be easily taken by the dogs.

The females of almost every kind of hawk are considerably larger than the males. In the language of falconry the former are called falcons, and the latter teircels. These terms are applied to almost every species

Slight falcons, we are informed, take up their abode every year, from October or November until the spring, upon Westminster Abbey, and upon other churches in the metropolis: this appears to be well known to the London pigeon-fanciers, from the great havoc they make in their flights.

Hawks are not susceptible of attachment to their keeper; nor do they, like the dog, pursue game for the pleasure of the sport. Hunger is in them the only inducement to action; and in a wild, as in a domestic state, they remain almost motionless when their hunger is satisfied. It is, therefore, by this appetite alone that hawks can be governed-it is the bridle that restrains them, and the spur that urges. them to exertion; and it is, therefore, on the right management of this primum mobile that the success of the falconer must principally depend. Fresh raw beef is the best food for hawks. The quantity must depend upon the condition and behaviour of each individual bird, and will, of course, vary from day to day; but the average is about onethird of a pound of beef a day for a slight falcon, and for other hawks in proportion.

Hawking has, for many years, almost ceased to be followed as a sport, except in a few instances.The Duke of St. Albans, Grand Hereditary Falconer of England, has revived this ancient sport upon his own estates, and gratified the fashionables by a splendid display of the sport of hawking, on the downs near Brighton. See HAWK.

FALLOW (Faal, Bel.; Fulvus, Lat.). A palish red colour, resem

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palmated at the top. During rutting-time they will contend with each other for their mistress, but are less fierce than the stag, though equally inconstant. No two animals approach so near to each other as the stag and the fallow deer. Although their similarity be great, they never herd together, never engender, or form a mixed breed. In fact, they constitute distinct families, and avoid each other with the most deep-rooted antipathy. The period of gestation, however, is about the same in both. The great difference between these animals consists in the duration of their lives, the fallow deer seldom attaining twenty years.

In drinking, deer plunge their noses very deep under water, and remain in that situation for a considerable time; but, to obviate any inconveniency, they can open two vents, one at the inner corner of each eye, having a communication

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lar service to beasts of chase, by affording them free respiration; these additional nostrils being thrown open when they are hard run. Mr. Pennant has observed the same curious organization in the antelope. Deer are easily tamed, and their venison is in high esteem among the luxurious. The velvet, when fried, is considered by epicures the most delicate part of the deer. By castrating the males when newly dropped," says Mr. Loudon," which is not in the least dangerous, it affords the means of having good venison until Christmas, without any other sort of food than grass: they also fatten more quickly the operation must, however, be performed while they are quite young." By stat. 16 Geo. III. c. 30, if any person shall hunt or take in a snare, or kill or wound any red or fallow deer, in any forest, chase, &c. whether enclosed or not; or in any closed park, paddock, &c. without the consent of the owner, or be aiding in such offence, he shall forfeit 201. for the first offence, and also 30l. for each deer killed, taken, or wounded. A gamekeeper offending to forfeit double. For a second offence, offenders shall be transported for seven years. By stat. 28 Geo. II. c. 19, destroying gorse, furze, and fern, in forests and chases, being the covert for deer, subjects the offenders to a penalty from 40s. to 5l. or to three month's imprisonment.

FALSE QUARTER (in Farriery). A crack on the inner or outer side of a horse's hoof, having the appearance of a piece that has been inserted. It is attended by a violent pain, and opens as the horse sets foot to the ground. Relief may be had by careful shoeing, taking care that the unsound part does not touch the shoe, while the sound portion shall bear fully upon it. Paring and oiling are also of advantage, tending somewhat to restore the part.

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with the nose. This extraordinary FAR, or OFF. An appellation provision of Nature may be of singu- given to any part of a horse's right

side; thus the far or off foot, shoul- | when each party appoints a person der, &c. is the same with the right to ride without weighing. Catch foot, the right shoulder, &c. weights signify the same.

FEEDER. A person whose duty it is to mix and prepare the meat, &c. for the hounds. Cleanliness cannot be too much recommended to this functionary: as sport depends entirely on that exquisite sense of smelling so peculiar to the hound, the kennel must be kept sweet and clean.

FARCY, Farcio, Lat. (in Farriery). A creeping, loathsome, leprous disease in horses, beginning with hard buttons, buds, or particles that dilate and spread themselves, and sometimes overrun the whole body, and following the course of the veins. These pustules in a short time become soft, break, and discharge foul and bloody matter. It FEEDING. In the usual way of appears indifferently in all parts of feeding and treating horses, no atthe animal. Copious bleeding is a tention is paid to the state of the remedy much relied on, after which stomach when they are put to work, four ounces of cream of tartar, with but frequently they are put into a a lenitive electuary, made into balls, chaise, or coach, or ridden off at a should be given every other day for quick pace with their stomachs loadone week, and at the same time leted with food; the consequence of three ounces of nitre be put into his drink every day. The unbroken tumours should be rubbed, twice a day, with an ointment made as follows:-Elder ointment, four ounces; oil of turpentine, two ounces: sugar of lead, half an ounce; white vitriol, powdered, two drachms. The broken pustules should be rubbed gently with the "budding-iron," at a dull red heat.

FARCY, WATER (in Farriery). A disease incident to horses, and terminating cutaneously, or else the water is suffused through different parts of the body, and appears in a number of soft swellings. The first species may be relieved by slight scarifications; but the second requires length of time, skilful administration of reliefs and restoration, and has frequently a fatal termination.

FARRIERY. See VETERINARY

ART.

FAWN. A buck or doe of the first year.

FEATHER. A natural frizzling or turning of the hair, in some degree resembling the top of an ear of corn, found on many parts of the horse's body, but more commonly between the eyes.

FEATHER-WEIGHT. A horse is said to carry a feather, in racing,

this has often been gripes, inflammation of the bowels, and even sudden death. The hay, as well as the corn, should, if possible, be divided into four portions, and each portion, both of oats and hay, should be wetted with water: this will facilitate mastication and swallowing, and likewise digestion; a horse thus fed will so quickly digest that he will always be fit for his labour. The largest portion, both of oats and hay, should be given at night, and the next in quantity to this, early in the morning; the other two portions in the forenoon and afternoon, or about twelve and four. But this must of course depend upon the kind of work a horse is employed in, and must be regulated accordingly.— Horses that have been accustomed to an unlimited allowance of hay, often eat their litter when put upon a proper diet; but this must be prevented by a muzzle.

FEEL. To feel a horse in the hand, is to observe that the will of the horse is in the hand, that he tastes the bridle, and has a good appui in obeying the bit.

To feel a horse upon the haunches, is to observe that he plies or bends them, which is contrary to leaning or throwing upon the shoulders. FEET. See HORSE,

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