Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 1.djvu/966

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i\ Of the Falcon, or Falcon Gentle, her Nature and Qua- lities ; with the Manner of luring and reclaiming, and bringing her up to the Sport, we have elfewhcre fpoke under the Article Falcon.

2 . The Hagard Falcon, call'd alfo <Peregrine Falcon, 'PaJ/enger, and traveller, becaufe no Native of our Ifland 5 or rather, by Reafon of its Roving, and Wandring more than any other Sort 5 is not inferior to the beft of the Tribe, for Strength, Courage, Hardinefs, and Perfeverance. She is diftinguffhed from the Common Falcon, as being lareer, longer arm'd, with a longer Beak and Talons, a higher Neck, && She will lie longer on the Wing j and is "more deliberate and advifed in her {looping, ££<:.

The Hagard Falcon, when wild and unreclaim'd, takes the grcateit Liberty of all Birds ; living either by Land or Sea : And is of fuch abfolute Power, that wherever /he comes, all flying Fowl ftoop under her Subjection : Even the Tierccler, tho' her natural Companion, dares not fit by' her, or approach her Residence, except in Gawking Time 3 when, for Procreation Sake, fhe admits him in a fubmiffive Manner to come near and woo her.

When very young, fhe is apt to attack Birds too ftrong for her ; which fhe perfifts in, till a found Beating have brought her to a better Understanding. — She is an in- ceffant Pains Taker 5 no Weather difcouraging her from, her Game. — When unreclaim'd, fhe has feiz'd her Prey, and broke the Ink or Neck, fhe falls on the Crop, and feeds firft on what is contam'd there 5 then on the other Parts. When fhe has fill'd her Gorge, ihe flies to fome folitary Place, near the Water, where /lie fits all Day, and at Night takes Wing to fome convenient Place, where ihe had before purpos'd, to pearch till Morning.

For the Method of Reclaiming, Manning, Entering, &c. a Hagard Falcon, or other Sort of Hawk, -with the Terms of Art iifed in Reftetl thereof. See the Article Hawking.

3 . The Gerfalcon, or Gyrfalcon, is the largeft Bird of the Falcon Kind ; coming next to the Size of a Vulture ; and of the greateft Strength next an Eagle : She is ftoutly armed 5 and in all Refpects a lovely Bird to the Eye.

Her Head and Eyes are like the Hagard ; her Back great and bending, her Nares large : — Her Sails long and iharp pointed, and her Train and Mail much like the Lanners, having a large Marble feared Foot 5 and plumed black, brown, and ruflet. — She may alfo be called a <Pajfenger, her Eyrie being in 'Pruffia, Alufco-vy, and the Mountains of Norway.

The Gerfalcon is of a fierce and fiery Nature, very hardly managed and reclaimed 5 but being once overcome, proves an excellent Hawk, fcarcc refufing to ftrike at any Thing. She does not naturally fly the River 5 but always purfues the Herons, Shovclcrs, &c. In going up to their Gate, they do not hold the Courfe, or Way, which others ufe to do 3 but climb up upon the Train, when they find any Fowl, and affoon as they have reach'd her, pluck her down, if not at the firft, yet at the fecond or third Encounter.

4 . The Saker, or Sacre, is the third in Etleem, next the Falcon, and Gerfalcon, but difficult to be managed, being a PaJ/enger, or ^Peregrine Hawk, whofe Eyrie has not yet been difcovcrcd, but chiefly found in the Iflands of the Levant.

She is fomewhat longer than the Hagard Falcon 5 her Plume rufty and ragged j the Sear of her Foot and Beak like the Lanner ; her Pounces fhort, and her Train the longcft of all Birds of Prey.

She is very ftrcng and hardy to all Kind of Fowl, being more difpofed to the Field a great deal than the Brook, and delighting to prey on great Fowl, as the Heron, Goofe, &c. but for the Crane flie is not fo free as the Hagard Falcon. — ■ She alio excels for the lefTer Fowl, as Pheafants, Partridges, &c. and is much lefs dainty in her Diet, as long-winged Hawks ufually are.

The Saker makes excellent Sport with a Kite 3 who, as foon as he fees call off, immediately betakes her felf to, and trufls in the Goodnefs of her Wings, and gets to her Pitch, as high as poffibly fhe can, by making many Towers and Wrenches in the Air ; which together with the Variety of Contefts and Bickerings between them, affords a curious Spectacle.

5°. The Fanner, or Lanar, is a Hawk common in moft Countries, efpecially France 5 making her Eyrie on lofty Trees in Forefts, or on high Cliffs near the Sea-fide.

She is lefs than the Falcon Gentle, fair plumed, and of fhorter Talons than any other Falcon. — Such as have the largeft and befl feafon'd Heads, are efteemed the beft.

Mewed Lanners are not eafily known from Gos-Hawks, or Sakers 5 the chief Marks and Characlerifticks are, That they are blacker, have lefs Beaks, and are lefs armed and pounced than any other Hawks.

Of the whole Hawk Tribe, there is none fo fit for a young Falconer as this, becaufe fhe is not inclined to Sur-

feits, and feldom melts Grcafe by being overflown.

There is another Sort of Lanners, whofe Eyrie is in the Alps, having their Heads white, and flat aloft, large and black Eyes, flender Nares, fliort and thick Beaks ; being lefs than the Hagard, and Falcon Gentle, tho' there are different Sizes of them 5 their Tail Marble, or Ruffet : Brcaft Feathers white and full of Ruffet Spots,_ and the Points and Extremities of their Feathers full of white Drops ; their Sails and Trains long 5 fhort legged, with a Foot lefs than that of a Falcon, marblc-fecred.

This Hawk never lies upon the Wing, after fhe has flown to a Mark 5 but after once {looping, makes a Point $ and like the Gos-Hawk, waits the Fowl. — ■ She is more va- lued abroad than in England j we looking on her as floth- ful, and hard mettled. The Truth is, a very ft rift Hand muft be kept over her 5 as being of an ungrateful Difpo- fition. — She is flown at Field, or Brock, and will main- tain long Flights 5 by which Means much Fowl is killed. To fly them, they muft be kept very fliarp $ and becaufe they keep their Caftings long, they muft have hard Call- ings made of Tow, and Knots of Hemp.

<J°. The Merlin is the fmalleft of all Birds of Prey 5 and bears a Refemblance to a Hagard Falcon in Plume, as alfo in the Scare of the Foot, Beak, and Tallons, and not unlike her in Conditions.

When well manned, lured, and carefully looked after, fhe proves an excellent Hawk 5 efpecially at Partridge, Thrufh, and Lark. — But fhe is very bufie, and unruly, and fpecial Care muft be had left fhe unnaturally eat orF her own Feet and Talons, as fhe has often been know:? to do.

She is wonderoufly venturefome 5 and will fly at Birds bigger than her felf, with fuch Eagernefs, as to purfuc them even into a Town or Village.

Tho' the Merlin be accounted an Hawk of the Fift, fhe may be brought to take delight in the Lure 5 when you have made her come to the Lure, fo as fhe will patiently endure the Hood, you fhould make her a Train with a Par- tridge ; if fhe foot and kill it, reward her well : Then fly her at the wild Partridge, and if flic take or make it at firft or fecond Flight, being retrieved by the Spaniels, feed her upon it with a reafonable Gorge ; chearing her in fuch Manner with the Voice, that fhe may know it another Time : If fhe do not prove hardy at the firft or fecond Time, fhe will be good for nothing.

7 . The Hobby, is a Sort of Hawk that naturally preys on Doves, Larks, and other fmall Game.

She has a blue Beak, but the Sear thereof and Legs are yellow ; the Crinels, or little Feathers under the Eye, very black, the Top of the Head between black and yellow.

She has alfo two white Seams on her Neck : The Plumes under the Gorge, and about the Brows, arc red- difh, without Spot or Drop 3 the Breaft Feathers for the, moft Part brown, yet intcrfperfed with white Spots ; her Back, Train and Wings, arc black aloft, having no great Scales upon the Leg?, unlefs a few behind 5 the three Stretchers and Pounces are very large, with Refpect to her fhort Legs $ her brail Feathers are tinctured between red and black ; the pendant ones, or thofe behind the Thigh, of a rufty, fmoaky Hue.

She is a Hawk of the Lure, and not of the Fift $ and is an higher Flyer, being in every Refpect like the Saker, but flie is of a much lefs Size 5 for fhe is- not only nim- ble and light of Wings, but dares encounter Kites, Buzzards, or Crows, and will give Soufe for Soufe, Blow for Blow, till fometimes they fiege and come tumbling down to the Ground both together. — But flie is chiefly for the Lark, which poor little Creature does fo dread the Sight of her, fbaring in the Air over her, that fhe will rather choofe to commit her felf to the Mercy of Men or Dogs, or to be trampled on by Horfes, than venture into the Element, when fhe fees her mortal Enemy foaring there.

The Hobby alfo makes excellent Sport with Nets and Spaniels j for when the Dogs range the Field, to fpring the Fowl, and the Hobby foars aloft over them, the filly Birds, apprehenfivc of a Confpiracy among the Hawks and Dogs to their utter Ruin, dare not commit themfelves to their Wings, but think it fafer to lie clofe on the Ground, and fo are taken in the Nets. — > This Sport is call'd 'Daring.

8°. The Gojhawk,or Gofs-Hawk, q. d. Grofs Hawk, is a large, fhort- winged Hawk, of which there arc fcveral Sorts, differing in Goodnefs, Force, and Hardinefs, according to the Dtverfity of their Choice in Gawking ; at which Time the feveral Sorts of Birds of Prey aflemble themfelves with the Gofoawk, and gallant it together.

There are Gos-Hawks from moft Countries, but none better than thofe bred in the North of Irela.nd. — ■ She ought to have a fmall Head, a long and ftraisht Face, a large Throat, great Eyes, deep fet 5 the Apple of the Eye black j Nares, Ears, Back and Feet large and black j a

black