The Ornithology of Shakespeare Critically examined, explained and illustrated

An “Eagle Eye.”--Power of Flight.--A good Omen.--“The Bird of Jove.”--The Roman Eagle.--The “Ensign” of the Eagle.--Habits and Attitudes.--Eagles’ Eggs.--Longevity of the Eagle:...

Explanation of Hawking Terms.--The Falcon and Tiercel.--The Qualities of a good Falconer.--The “Lure” and its Use.--The “Quarry”--The Hawk’s “Trappings.”--Jesses, Bells, and Hoo...

“The Bird of Juno.”--“The Favourite of Minerva.”--“The Bird of Wisdom.”--Sacred to Proserpine.--Use in Medicine.--The Bird of Ill-Omen.--Its Appearance by Day.--Its Habits misun...

The Raven: a Bird of Ill Omen.--Its Supposed Prophetic Power.--Its Deep and Solemn Voice.--The Raven’s Croak foreboding Death.--The “Night-Raven” and “Night-Crow.”--The Raven’s...

The Nightingale.--“Lamenting Philomel.”--Singing against a Thorn.--Erroneously supposed to Sing only by Night.-- “Recording.”--The Lark.--“The Herald of the Morn.”--Singing at H...

Cock.--“Cock-Crow.”--“Cock-shut-time.”--“Cock-a-Hoop.”--“Cock and Pye.”--Cock-Fighting.--Ancestry of the Domestic Cock.--The Peacock.--Its Introduction into Europe, and Ancient...

Sporting in Shakespeare’s Day.--The Pheasant.--Date of its Introduction into Britain.--Ancient Value of Game. --Game-Preserving.--Game-Laws.--Partridge-Hawking.--Anecdote of Cha...

“A Flight of Fowl.”--Habit of Wounded Birds.--“Duck-Hunting.”--Swimming “like a Duck.”--Wild-fowling in Shakespeare’s Day.--“The Stalking-Horse.”--“The Caliver.”--“The Stale.”--...

The Parrot “clamorous against Rain.”--Talking like a Parrot.--A rare “Parrot-Teacher.”--The Popinjay.--The Starling.--Its Talking Powers.--The Kingfisher.--Halcyon Days.--Flight...

In the _Comedy of Errors_ (Act iv. Sc. 2), Dromio of Syracuse alludes to “a hound that runs counter, and yet draws dry foot well,” and in the _Taming of the Shrew_ we have the f...

We will therefore only glance at that amusing scene in the _Merry Wives of Windsor_ (Act v. Sc. 5), where Falstaff appears in Windsor Forest, disguised with a buck’s head on. “D...

In Roxburgh and Aberdeen, as we learn from Jamieson’s “Scottish Dictionary,” a hare is termed “a bawd,” and the knowledge of this fact enables us to understand the dialogue in _...

That coursing was in vogue in Shakespeare’s day, and practised in the same way as at present, we may infer from such expressions as “a good hare-finder” (_Much Ado_, Act i. Sc....

and _Henry IV._ Part I. Act ii. Sc. 3); “the Dormouse of little valour” (_Twelfth Night_, Act iii. Sc. 1); “the joiner Squirrel” (_Romeo and Juliet_, Act i. Sc. 4), whose habit...

_Tempest_, Act iii. Sc. 1); and the Gad-fly, or Brize (_Troilus and Cressida_, Act i. Sc. 3). The Grey-coated Gnat (_Romeo and Juliet_, Act i. Sc. 4; _Comedy of Errors_, Act ii....

_Titus._ But how if that fly had a father and mother? How would he hang his slender gilded wings, And buzz lamenting doings in the air! Poor harmless fly! That, with his pretty...

At the head of the diurnal birds of prey, most authors have agreed in placing the Eagles. Their large size, powerful flight, and great muscular strength, give them a superiority...

The structure of the Osprey is wonderfully adapted to his habits, and an examination of the feet of this bird will prove how admirably contrived they are for grasping and holdin...

To those who have ever taken part in a hawking excursion, it must be a matter of some surprise that so delightful a pastime has ceased to be popular. Yet, at the present day, pe...

The hawks, when carried to the field, were borne on “the cadge,” as shown in the engraving; the person carrying it being called “the cadger.” The modern word “cad,” now generall...

As Jove assumed the shape of an Eagle, so Juno selected that of an Owl, for, as Aldrovandus tells us, it was not decorous that the queen of heaven should take on herself the lik...

To a superficial observer of nature, there may appear to be a much greater resemblance between the Raven, the Crow, the Rook, and the Jackdaw, than we find to be actually the ca...

The word “chough,” it appears, was not always intended to refer to the bird with red legs and bill, as we may infer from the following passage in O’Flaherty’s “West or H’Iar Con...

If there is one class of birds more than another to which poets in all ages have been indebted for inspiration, and to which they have directed particular attention, it is that...

In one, if not more, of his poems he has noticed the odd belief which formerly existed to the effect that the mournful notes of the nightingale are caused by the bird’s leaning...

Formerly, a curious method of taking larks was practised by means of small pieces of looking-glass and red cloth. These were made to move at a little distance from the fowler by...

It would hardly be supposed that the birds under domestication could inspire much poetical feeling, or indeed that they could furnish the dramatist with much imagery. Those, how...

There appears to be some difference of opinion as to what place is meant by the ancient name _Camelot_. Selden, in his notes to Drayton’s “Polyolbion,” says:--“By _South Cadbury...

Game-preserving, as we now understand the term, was probably unknown in Shakespeare’s days, for sportsmen at that time had not the means of making such large bags, and consequen...

It is rather curious that Shakespeare has not alluded to this bird under its popular name of “Peewit,”--a name which, derived from its cry, we believe to be of some antiquity. N...

To the general reader these terms may appear synonymous, but to the sportsman and naturalist they have a very different signification. Under the head of “wild-fowl” may be place...

Nor are we left entirely to our own reflections in these situations. Some trait or other is noticed in the habits of the bird alluded to, some curious instinct pointed out. We p...

Notwithstanding the comprehensive titles of the preceding chapters, there are several birds mentioned by Shakespeare which cannot, with propriety, be included in any of them. We...

It is not quite clear when parrots were first introduced as cage birds, but their attractive colours, and aptitude for learning tricks and words, no doubt brought them into noti...

„ „ 3--Cocks 172, 219 „ „ Quails 219 „ „ 6--Cuckoo 154 „ III. „ 2--[Swan] 201 „ „ [Kite] 44 „ „ 10--Mallard 238 „ „ 13--Kite 44 „ „ Seel 70 „ „ Dove 195 „ „ Ostrich 195 „ IV. „...

„ „ 3--Juno’s Swans 206 „ II. „ 3--Ravens 106 „ „ Sparrow 106, 146 „ „ 5--Eggs 32 „ „ 7--[Goose] 197 „ „ [Cock] 168 „ III. „ 3--Falcon 61 „ „ Bells 61 „ „ Pigeon 180, 185 „ „ 4-...

„ „ Goose 197 „ „ 4--Geese 197 „ III. „ 1--[Crow] 110 „ „ [Eagle] 23 „ „ Cry havoc (note) 57 „ „ Quarry 57 „ „ 5--[Kite] 43 „ „ [Crow] 110 „ IV. „ 5--Daw 119 „ „ 7--Osprey 42 „...

„ „ Puttock 28, 45 „ „ 3--[Crow] 110 „ „ 4--Fowl 235 „ II. „ 2--Philomel 125 „ „ [Raven] 99 „ „ 3--Lark 132 „ „ 4--[Watching] 45 „ III. „ 1--Crows 112 „ „ 3--Crows 112 „ „ Eagle...

„ „ 3--Woodcocks 229 „ „ 5--The falconer’s call 55 „ II. „ 2--Aiery 39, 58 „ „ Kites 43 „ „ Hawk 75, 223 „ „ Hernshaw 75, 223 „ „ Pigeon-liver’d 185 „ „ Kites 43 „ „ French falc...

„ „ Starling 274 „ II. „ 1--Turkies 177 „ „ 2--Chuffs 118 „ „ Wild-Duck 237 „ „ 4--[Wild-Geese] 246 „ „ Sparrow 147 „ „ [Cuckoo] 147 „ III. „ 1--[Raven] 99 „ „ [Goose] 197 „ „ R...

„ „ Eggs 32 „ II. „ 1--Kite 43 „ „ Crow 111 „ „ 2--Cloy 31 „ III. „ 6--Gull 149, 266 „ „ 7--Hawk 73 „ „ Lark 133 „ „ Hooded 62 „ „ Bate 62 „ IV. Prologue--Cocks 168 „ Sc. 1--Mou...

„ „ Mahomed’s Dove 194 „ „ [Eagle] 23 „ „ 4--Scare-crow 115 „ „ 5--Doves 180 „ II. „ 2--Turtle-doves 180, 191 „ „ 4--Hawks 73 „ „ Pitch 73 „ „ Daw 119 „ III. „ 3--Peacock 175 „...

„ „ 3--Limed 161 „ „ 4--Screech-Owls 85, 97 „ II. „ 1--Flying at the brook 50, 51 „ „ Old Joan 50 „ „ Point 50, 51 „ „ Falcon 50 „ „ Pitch 50, 51 „ „ Hawks 50 „ „ Tower 50, 51 „...

„ „ Tire 38 „ „ Hawk’s bells 61 „ „ 4--Swan 205 „ „ Dove 54, 195 „ „ Falcon 54 „ „ Woodcock 232 „ II. „ 1--Eagle’s bird 25 „ „ Night-Owl 88, 94 „ „ 2--Doves 91, 195 „ „ 6--[Scre...

„ „ Cuckoo 147 „ „ Kite 44 „ II. „ 2--Wagtail 156 „ „ Goose 198 „ „ Halcyon 275 „ „ 4--Wild-Geese 246 „ „ Vulture 41 „ „ Owl 97 „ III. „ 4--The five wits 95 „ „ Pelican 287 „ „...

„ „ Green-Geese 197 „ III. „ 1--Goose 197 „ IV. „ 1--Owl 95 „ „ 3--Green-Goose 198 „ „ Woodcocks 229 „ „ Raven 109 „ „ [Turtle] 191 „ „ Eagle-sighted 25 „ „ Bird-bolts 162 „ V....

„ „ [Eagle] 23 „ „ 5--Raven 102 „ „ 6--Martlet 277 „ II. „ 1--Owl 84 „ „ 2--“Obscure bird” 85 „ „ 4--Falcon 39, 51 „ „ Towering 39, 51 „ „ Owl 51 „ III. „ 2--[Crow] 110-115 „ „...

„ „ 3--Bully-rook 121 „ „ [Raven] 99 „ „ Vultures 41 „ „ [Dove] 190 „ II. „ 1--Cuckoo-birds (note) 148 „ III. „ 3--Eyas-musket 74 „ „ Birding 72 „ „ [Hawk] 73 „ „ 4--[Geese] 197...

„ „ Lark 133 „ „ 2--Dove 195 „ „ Nightingale 195 „ II. „ 1--Crows 110 „ „ [Dove] 180 „ „ [Bolt] 162 „ „ 2--Owl 89 „ „ Philomel 125 „ „ Raven 108 „ „ Dove 108 „ III. „ 1--[Wild-f...

„ „ Bird-bolt 162 „ „ Crow 114 „ „ Wise and warm 95 „ II. „ 1--Partridge 218 „ „ Fowl 237 „ „ 3--Raven 101 „ „ Fowl 238 „ „ Daw 119 „ „ Gull 269 „ III. „ 1--Lapwing 221 „ „ Hagg...

„ „ 3--Seel 70 „ „ Snipe 233 „ II. „ 1--Birdlime 161 „ „ 3--Speak Parrot 272 „ III. „ Watch 45 „ „ Haggard 57 „ „ Jesses 57 „ „ Seel 71 „ IV. „ 1--Raven 100 „ V. „ 1--“Cry on” (...

„ „ Crow 114, 206 „ „ 3--Dove-house 180 „ „ 4--Crow-keeper 114 „ „ Soar 50, 51 „ „ Pitch 50, 51 „ „ 5--Cock-a-hoop 169 „ „ Dove 113, 194 „ „ Crows 113, 194 „ II. „ 2--Falconer 5...

„ II. „ 1--Nightingale 124 „ „ Buzzard 47 „ „ Turtle 47 „ „ Wise and warm 95 „ III. „ 1--Stale 245 „ „ 2--Dove 180 „ IV. „ 1--Falcon 62 „ „ Stoop 62 „ „ Lure 55, 62 „ „ Man 45,...

„ „ 3--Philomel 125 „ „ Owl 94, 105 „ „ Raven 105 „ „ Lark 136 „ III. „ 1--[Raven] 99 „ „ Lark 136 „ IV. „ 1--Philomel 125 „ „ Swan 205 „ „ 2--Swallow 276 „ „ 3--Pigeon 180, 183...

„ „ 2--[Eagles] 23 „ „ [Crows] 110 „ „ Daws 119 „ II. „ 1--Sparrows 146 „ „ [Owl] 83 „ „ 2--Cormorant 260 „ „ 3--[Raven] 99 „ III. „ 1--Doves 196 „ „ 2--Sparrow 145 „ „ Watch’d...

„ II. „ 3--Gull 149, 267 „ „ Woodcock 229 „ „ 5--Stanniel 73 „ „ Check 60, 73 „ „ Gull-catcher 267 „ „ Turkey-cock 180 „ „ Woodcock 231 „ „ Bird-bolts 163 „ „ Stone-bow 163 „ II...

„ „ Ravens 107 „ III. „ 2--[Crow] 110 „ IV. „ 2--Lark 130 „ „ Thrush 137 „ „ Kite 46 „ „ Woodcock 230 „ „ 3--Jay 121 „ „ Falcon 64 „ „ Swallow 277 „ „ Crow 113 „ „ Dove 185 „ „...

[53] It will be observed that, in these pages, falconry is treated as a thing of the past, as indeed it is a sport now almost obsolete, and but few comparatively are acquainted...