Evening star., 1921-10-30
Falconry a Famous Sport
of Kings in Years Gone By

1 haps from the expense Of maintain
| ing SO large an establishment, and 1t
may be that the growing sense OF
| humanity has something to do with
| 1t. At any rate. 1t is not known to-
day in Europe except on certain very
| large estates. where 1t has been per-
petuated simply because it was an
old custom of the family in the six
teenth or the seventeenth century,
when falconry reached the zenith of
Its popularity.
AS stated above, 1t may still be
| witnessed in Persia. and in some
cities of India and China men are
| seen In the streets carryig hawks
upon their wrists their ancestors
| did thousand years ago.
For the most part the birds en-
ployed in the sport are members OF
| the falconia family, and especially
those Of the genus falco. The two
classes Of birds that falconers have
| recognized are, first, the noble birds"
| long winged, dark-eyed falcons. that
! rose to great heights and struck their
| prey with a single rush: and. second
/ ly. toe "ignoble birds" or shurtwinged,
! low fiers
| The noble birds were taught TO rise
above the hunter and hover in the
air until the quarry often crane.
| was started, while the ignoble birds
| were thrown from the hand the mo-
| ment the game was discovered.
At times very small hawks were
| employed and taken in the hands and
| thrown violently. like a ball, at the
! flushed quarry. A vast number of
! terms were employed in falconry.
upon which it is not necessary to
| dwell in this connection.
Some trainers took the young birds
to train. task that could be accom-
plished in two or three weeks: while
other trainers preferred to utilize.
| wild birds. which were often esteemed
| more highly, although the period of
training was longer.
Generally speaking. one person un-
dertook charge of bird. the first ses-
son being to render ii perfectly tame
| In confinement. This was an easy
matter. as is evidenced by the cx-
/ perience of an American hunter who
| shot small hawk in the Sierra MaSTo
mountains breaking its wing. In two
days the little creature was so tame
| that II would rest upon his hand and
feed without attempting to wound the
| man with its bill or talons.
| Wild-caught falcons were trained
at first in the dark. and when they
were quite tame cap. called the
| hood" that completely covered the
! head. was put on and not taken off
under any circumstances. except when
| the bird was feeding. until the crea
| ture had become perfectly accustomed
| to it. Then it was taught to rest
| upon the wrist of the trainer. who
| wore a wristlet for the purpose. all
| this time a cord being attached to
| the birds leg.
This line was gradually increased
and food given the bird several feet
away. and slowly it was taught to fiy
| greater distance. until finally half
| a mile and return was made.
Then the falcon was tried on
pigeons released from the hand. and
gradually treated to birds OF various
kinds. until after time it became
| an adept at the chase.
When the bird arrived at this stage
the moment 1t was unhooded it would
rise above its trainers head and hover
| in the air. on the lookout. or perhaps
| circle about. This was called wait
! ing on" and the moment the game
started up it pounced upon the quar-
| ry. killing at the first blow.
! AS a rule the hungry falcon would
attack any bird. but catching the
heron or crane gave the finest dis
play Of flying, which. in the old'n
days. was considered the essential
| feature Of the sport. The falcon. after
circling above the heron that had
been started up from the river brink
or marshy pool. rushed down upon
| it's victim like an arrow. while the
frightened heron pointed its sharp
beak upward. hoping. perhaps. to i'm
pale its enemy.
The larger bird made every attempt
to reach a high altitude. soaring
| around and around in circles. now
plunging down to avoid the repeated
rushes of its willy enemy. but ever
rising higher; and if. by reason of its
tremendous wing power. the heron
could keep above. it was safe; so that
| it was race for the upper posi-
tion. and should the falcon gain this
after a prolonged struggle. the heron
was doomed. 1t is interesting. in this
relation. to note that during the war
the fighting airmen employed tn"
tactics of the falcon in trying to dis
pose of its enemy.