Falconry

Gerald Lascelles

Description

This antiquarian book constitutes one volume of a detailed and useful guide to falconry, and includes information on kite hawking, hare hawking, merlins, management, lark hawking, the hobby, the lanner, sport in India, and other related issues. This fascinating and extensively illustrated text will be of considerable utility to modern hawking enthusiasts, and would make for a wonderful addition to collections of related literature. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly hard to come by and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern edition - complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on falconry.

Sujets

• Sports
• Recreation
• Hunting

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 05 mars 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781447488996
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

FALCONRY
WITH NOTES ON GERFALCONS, KITE HAWKING, HARE HAWKING, MERLINS, HOW MANAGED, LARK HAWKING, THE HOBBY, THE SACRE, THE LANNER, SHAHINS, SPORT IN INDIA AND OTHER VARIETIES OF HAWKS USED IN FALCONRY.
BY
GERALD LASCELLES
Contents
Chapter 1
GERFALCONS-KITE HAWKING-HARE HAWKING-MERLINS-HOW MANAGED-LARK HAWKING-THE HOBBY-THE SACRE-THE LANNER-SHAH NS-SPORT IN INDIA-OTHER VARIETIES OF HAWKS USED IN FALCONRY .
T HE noblest kind of hawk that is, or ever has been, used in falconry is certainly the ger-, or gyrfalcon, as the three varieties of the great Northern falcons are each called indiscriminately by falconers. These varieties are, first, the Greenland Falcon, the handsomest of the three, almost (in its adult plumage) snow-white, with handsome, regular markings. This variety is more widely distributed than the other two, but the only specimens which have been trained have been either ship-caught birds or stray hawks that have been taken by some chance. Secondly, the Iceland Falcon. Very many hawks of this variety have been trained, some being birds taken from the nest in Iceland (to which country it is almost entirely confined) and others birds caught when fully grown, besides chance specimens. Thirdly, the Norwegian variety, which has been taken both adult and from the nest by expeditions of falconers sent expressly to procure them. Three specimens also have, during the last fifty years, been taken on the passage at Valkenswaard, all of which were trained with varying success.
Just as big yachts sail faster than little ones, so the gerfalcons, being nearly twice the size of peregrines, can fly far faster even than those swift birds. Moreover, in their style of flying they excel all other hawks. No gerfalcon that has the full use of her wings ever makes a bad stoop or flies in bad form. Whether at the lure or at wild quarry their style is perfection. But yet, in spite of this, they cannot altogether be termed a success in falconry. Their tempers are generally very violent and stubborn, making them difficult to train in the early stages; they are always troublesome to break to the hood, and it requires an infinity of pains to get them to stand to it at all. From their great size and wild disposition they are very prone to carry, and altogether it requires a very experienced hand to do any good with them.

GREENLAND FALCON
Worst of all, it is extremely difficult to keep them in health until they become thoroughly acclimatised. The Iceland variety especially is afflicted with a form of asthma that is almost universal among those hawks which are caught wild in the island, and which are in other respects the most likely to succeed. Few of those which are seized with this disease ever recover; it is closely allied to that lung disease which in ancient books is described as the pantas. In the Norwegian falcons, within our experience, this disease has not been so prevalent, but they have been very liable to a virulent, and generally fatal, form of frounce, resulting in a tumour in the throat, which generally kills them. Both varieties, when flying well, have been apt to lose all form and to become useless when a change has occurred from cold to warm weather, and they seem especially sensitive to a damp, muggy climate. Of the constitution of the Greenland Falcon we cannot speak from actual experience, but from its wider distribution it may possibly be more hardy. One in the possession of Lord Lilford was a fine-tempered hawk and a good flier, keen at rooks.