FALCONRY is a species of sport, about the antiquity of which there has been some dispute. Under the word HAWKING (Encycl.) we have deduced what we thought sufficient evidence of its being practised among the Thracians, and likewise among the Britons before the invasion of this island by the Romans. Flavius Blondus, however, and Laurentius Valla, both writers of the 15th century, and the latter, one of the most learned men of his time, affirm that no nation or people were accustomed to catch either land or water-fowls with any rapacious bird trained for the purpose.
We were pleased to see our own opinion, so different from this, completely established by the learned labours of Professor Beckmann. So early (says he) as the time of Ctesias (and he refers to the page and edition of his author) hares and foxes were hunted in India by means of rapacious birds. The account of Aristotle, however, is still more to the purpose, and more worthy of notice. "In Thrace (says he) the men go out to catch birds with hawks. The men beat the reeds and bushes which grow in marshy places, in order to raise the small birds, which the hawks pursue and drive to
the ground, where the fowlers kill them with poles." The same account is to be found in another book ascribed also to Aristotle; and which appears, at any rate, to be the work of an author not much younger. Respecting Thrace, which is situated above Amphipolis, a wonderful thing is told, which might appear incredible to those who had never heard it before. It is said that boys go out into the fields, and pursue birds by the assistance of hawks. When they have found a place convenient for their purpose, they call the hawks by their names, which immediately appear as soon as they hear their voices, and chase the birds into the bushes, where the boys knock them down with sticks and seize them. What is still more wonderful, when these hawks lay hold of any birds themselves, they throw them to the fowlers; but the boys, in return, give them some share of the prey. De mirabilibus auscultat. cap. 128.
In this passage, there are two additions which render the circumstance still more remarkable. The first is, that the falcons appeared when called by their names; and the second, that of their own accord they brought to the fowlers whatever they caught themselves. Nothing is here wanting but the spaniel employed to find out game, the hood which is put upon the head of the hawk while it stands on the hand, and the thong used for holding it, to form a short description of falconry.
as still practised. Our falconers, when they have taken the bird from the hawk, give him, in return, a small share of it; and in the like manner the Thracian hawks received some part of their booty.
Other writers after Aristotle, such as Antigonus, Aelian, Pliny, and Phile, have also given an account of this method of fowling. Aelian, who seldom relates any thing without some alteration or addition, says that in Thrace nets were used, into which the birds were driven by the hawks; and in this he is followed by the poet Phile. Aelian, also, in another place describes a manner of hunting with hawks in India, which, as we are told by several travellers, is still practised in Persia, where it is well understood, and by other eastern nations.
The Indians (says he) hunt hares and foxes in the following manner: They do not employ dogs, but eagles, crows, and, above all, kites, which they catch when young, and train for that purpose. They let loose a tame hare or fox, with a piece of flesh fastened to it, and suffer these birds to fly after it, in order to seize the flesh, which they are fond of, and which, on their return, they receive as the reward of their labour. When thus instructed to pursue their prey, they are sent after wild foxes and hares in the mountains; these they follow in hopes of obtaining their usual food, and soon catch them and bring them back to their masters, as we are informed by Ctesias. Instead of the flesh, however, which was fastened to the tame animals, they receive as food the entrails of the wild ones which they have caught.
It seems, therefore, that the Greeks received from India and Thrace the first information respecting the method of fowling with birds of prey; but it does not appear that this practice was introduced among them at a very early period. In Italy, however, it must have been very common, for Martial and Apuleius speak of it as a thing every where known; the former calls a hawker's servant.
The Professor traces the history of this art with great learning down to the present time. It was carried to the highest perfection at the principal courts of Europe (he says) in the 12th century, when the ladies kept hawks, which were as much fondled by those who wished to gain their favour as lap-dogs are at present. Among the oldest writers on falconry as an art he reckons Demetrius, who about the year 1270 was physician to the Emperor Michael Paleologus. His book, written in Greek, was first printed at Paris in 1612 with a Latin translation; but its precepts (says our author) would be thought of very little value at present. For an account of the modern art of falconry see Encyclopaedia.