The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton in the county of Warwick Esq, fellow of the Royal Society in three books : wherein all the birds hitherto known, being reduced into a method sutable to their natures, are accurately described : the descriptions illustrated by most elegant figures, nearly resembling the live birds, engraven in LXXVII copper plates : translated into English, and enlarged with many additions throughout the whole work : to which are added, Three considerable discourses, I. of the art of fowling, with a description of several nets in two large copper plates, II. of the ordering of singing birds, III. of falconry / by John Ray ...

§. V. To reclaim a Goshawk from the Cage.

GIve her a fortnights carriage or more in her rufter-hood, always stroaking her with your hand or a feather. Be careful to feed clean with washed meat, for so she will be the sooner brought to a good stomach, and be gentle and well pleased to be handled. This obtained (which you shall perceive by her listening to your voice, or eager feeding) some evening wash and pepper her well. Then take off her rufter-hood, having another ready to put on: As she grows to be a little dry put on her Hood, and give her a bit of good meat upon it to please and refresh her. Hold this course to hood gently, and unhood now and then, not forgetting her reward ever after it is on, untill she be throughly dried, and afterwards the most part of the night: Then you may set her down bare-faced to have two or three hours rest; and be sure it be in a special warm place, and on a dry and warm Pearch on high, for these kind of Hawks are very subject to take cold, and apt to have the cramp on such occasions.

When she and your self have taken a little rest, go softly to her with shew of meat in your hand, withal chirping or whistling to her, and take her gently on your Fist, and dividing her meat into several parts bestow it on her for the most part when her Hood is put on: This will make her love and look for the Hood expecting to be fed; if she be nice in suffering your hand or the Hood to come near her head, you must seldom do it in the day time, but at her feeding, and late at night, when she will be more willing to take it.

Next teach her to jump and come to the Fist. For though other Hawks are used to come to the Lure thrown some distance from the man; yet she being a Hawk of the Fist, must be taught and used to come boldly to the hand, and without fear to seize and sit upon it during your pleasure, which she will never be brought to do with all the Art in the world, if her stomach be any way imperfect.

This obtained, let her be called a little further off, viz. twenty or forty yards at most: By dividing one meal (as I said) let her come oftentimes in a day if it be pos∣sible: Which will quickly make her perfect, that she will never check at the Fist, but will come and draw at any time of the day: Whereas using her to one hour for her meal, causes her not to come or draw till that time; which is an ill quality.

[He wishes not to be too hasty in flying Goshawks before they be throughly re∣claimed and taught, but to take sufficient time to teach them. And he affirmeth, that if a Hawk be too much impoverished and her flesh taken off, she will lose her spirit and mettle, how good soever she was, and will neither fly well, nor ever last healthful.]

Now it will be good time to call her loose. In doing which shun all places near Houses and Towns, to avoid the inconveniences of her being tempted aside by Poul∣try, Dove-houses, and such like places, which all these Hawks are subject to; and having once caught such an ill property they will seldom or never be reclaimed from it, how far soever from any Town they shall be flown: Walk therefore with her to the young Woods betimes in the afternoon, having before prepared her stomach, and there put her up into a tree, walking along from her, using your voice softly as though you had Spaniels with you, but chiefly to her in chirping and whistling: By which means no doubt she will draw and follow after you with little noise, Then suffer her not too long, but call her to your fist again, and reward her with some bit of meat, or Leg of a Pigeon, &c. to please her. Then put her up again, and by your softest voice or whistle draw her after you again. To use a loud voice would be a means to make her sit and loiter behind you so far as she can hear you, which is an ill quality: And besides, to make your Spaniels range far off, and spring out of the way far from you, which must needs be much displeasing both to Man and Hawk.

To make your Hawk familiar with your Dogs, first feed her amongst them all very oft upon your Fist: Then throw oftentimes from you among the thickest of them the dead Pelt of a Pullet or Hen in a short Cruce, that she may fly from your Fist, and eagerly chop among them, and seise upon the same, suffering her to plume a while: then take her to your Fist with a stump. This course you must use every day often, till you find that she will venture boldly among them all. She will soon perceive and understand by the Dogs giving way with fear unto her, that she hath even got the upper hand of them, and so will never fear them in the field or covert, or be beaten off her Game by them, as otherwise she would.