The Saint Paul globe., 1898-06-26

What strange fascination men can
find in the old sport of falconry, that
cruel swoop of fierce monarch of the
air on the track of bird whose onlv
safety lies in flight is a mystery to
those whose knowledge Of the pastime
is limited to what they have read
about it in old books. Sportsmen who
nave taken to this method of captur-
Ing game birds declare that this is the
essence of exciting sport. They argue
that the man VINO goes shooting with
a modern breechloader may kill more
birds, but he has only the satisfaction
or knowing that he has trained himself
10 be expert in the killing process while
the falconer has educated one of the
widest and most unlikely creatures in
existence to obey his will and kill as he
directs. Besides say the falconers
what is the shooting of a bird on the
wing compared with the exciting spec
tacle of falcon swooping with light
nlng-like swiftness on partridge that
is speeding for all it's wings are worth
to get away.
Whatever its opponents may say, GER
tam it is that the sport of falconry,
the noble old sport that has been sung
about by ancient poets and pictured
on numberless canvaseS by famous
painters is becoming fashionable
country pastime, whose followers are
as enthusiastic over their favorite
amusement as ever was a golf crank
or yachting fiend. 1t is essentially a
ctSei sport, but no sport that has for
1ts ultimate object the killing of a bird
or animal can be considered humane.
and the death of the quarry by the
talons of the hawk is probably as pain
!, less an end as being killed by a rifle
shot
orfx- 80 po1
the country house at which the meet
takes place with half a dozen or
more hawks, carried on the cadge
wooden frame on which they are trans
ported to the field. The birds are hood
ed in the manner shown in the accom-
panying illustration, which is a picture
of Black Lady. a hawk with a famous
record for killing. The hoods are Of
silver, and the tuft enables the own
er to readily single out his bird from
others. When the moment for action
comes the falcon is taken from the
cadge and carried on the gloved hand
of the falconer, ready to be freed at
any instant for the flight after the
game. When the covey is reached the
falcon is relieved of it's swivel, hood
and leash, and released. She will dart
up in the air and wait there until the
quarry Is sighted, circling round and
round the spot where she has been re-
leased. When 1t is seen that the falcon
is ready rush is made by the falcon
crs and the dogs that accompany the
party to the spot where the covey Of
partridges has been located
Up rise the frightened birds, and,
seeing their enemy, the falcon, await
ing to seize them above, while un-
known dangers confront them below,
the birds wing their way forward bent
on escaping. 1t must be a fast flying
partridge that can outstrip the falcon
in race. The old an9 crafty birds of
the covey know this well, and their
tactics are to head for the densest
bushes and seek safety in conceaIment
The falcon, with a similarly active in
stinct, singles out a young bird that
has only sense enough to fly blind1v on
in hope of its wings saving it from the
falcons foot. 1t is usually a short ra az
With swoop that the falconer wbo
is an enthusiast, watches and admiraS
as the angler does the experts cast of
a line, or the yachting man the swift
sweep of a boat in a race, the hawk is
down on the partridge, picking if nm
with her feet and carrying it off to q
place Of safety where 1t can gorge al
ease on the prize. Sometimes. as a re-
ward for clever work. the falcon is al
lowed to continue it's meal, but if other
work is required of it the dead bird is