The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-07
MISCELLANEOUS STOCKS
FALCoNRY AGAIN IN FAVOR.
Revival of the Ancient Sport by tin,
English AristOcracy.
(Fram the Chicago Chronicle.)

fAfula NA4O NAANAHu NtAANAiASAN-J
Down to- the time Of the good Queen
Bess' and in an intermittent way uatil
even a latenlday faleonry was a sport much
affected by sthe aristocTats of England and
Europe generally. Then followed q lo1g
period during which it was all but entire
ly forgotten, fox-hunting taking its place
as the outdoor recreation of the wealthy
In still later years polo, tennis, golf and
yachting were taken up by those who could
afford 10 DO so, but faIcon-y during all
that time continued to be neglected All
at once certain Of the most "swasger' set
In England have revived the ancient spot,
and now It is rapidly becoming the vogue
The large number Of Americans who imi-
tate everything English will doubtless
follow my leader. as usual. and il Is
likely that ere long we may hear OF chick
ems, pigeons or pheasants being carried
OF by hungry and predatory falcons. The
sport is making rapid Roadway in several
European countries. and one or two in
ternational meetings have already been
held. In a recent contest of falcons at
Spa, Belgium, several prizes were taken
by the hawks belonging to c. E. Radcliffe,
an Englishman, who devoted much time to
the sport. His hawks are especially well
trained and were much admired at the
meeting in Belgium He has the advaa-
tage OF an open country around his home
at Wareham, in Dorset, so that whsn
game is flushed the falcons have a fair
chance-of striking their quarry.
In North Africa falconry has been for a
vast number of years a fayorite sport.
Ancient Egyptian carvings seem to show
that it existed in the days of the Pharaohs
AT this day the BedOuins fly their falcons
and go following them over the sandy
plains of Tunis AMI TTipoli on their fleet
horses.
1t should be observed that ii is the fe-
male hawk which is employed in Salconry.
Falcons are found in almost all parts Of
the world, and peregrines can be bought
in this country and trained if the sport Of
hawking ever crosses the ocean and il is
likely TO.
The training of falcons is an art re-
curing judgment and patience. Their edu-
cation begins when they are nearly ready
TO fly. The young hawks are brought to
their future home and turned loose in a
shed open in front. but rooted in again st
bad weather and with sides and a back to
IT. Blocks OF wood are pegged into the
ground These blocks serve the birds for
roosts and for dining tables. On these
blocks the falconer places the food for the
young birds, consisting of fresh meat, dead
rabbits, or birds The hawks soon learn
to fly, and in q short time can be seen
soaring above their home and swooping
over the surrounding country.
Although before long they can fly many
miles, they always return at feeding time.
This Is the most anxious time for the fall
coner- He must know just when to stop
these excursions of his young hawks. for if
be gives them liberty too long the natural
instincts OF the bird will assert themselves
and she will Stoop to some natural quarry,
such as pheasant or pigeon. II she begins
to do this she will feel her strength and
gradually desert her home and go foraging
for herself Another danger when the young
hawks are flying free is that they may be
shot by some gamekeeper. who takes the
bird for a wild falcon. To obviate such an
unhappy ending bells are attached to the
hawks legs, which, by their warning sound,
give notice to the gamekeeper that the
hawk is from a neighbor's falconry.
Before the falcon learns TO forage for