Lapins, etc. Par G. Foye. Illustrations par Albert Bettanier. Paris. 1886. sm. 4to.

In the manual of M. Foye we have another modern aid to the practice of falconry. It is dedicated to the Comte de Paris, and the introduction contains all the names kuown to the author of living French falconers. Some of the extracts which are given from the old masters might well have been omitted, especially those having reference to hawks which are no longer used in any part of France or England, and which it would be almost impossible to procure. Modern descriptions, too, of the species now in vogue would be preferable to old ones, as being more intelligible. But, apart from these objections, it is evident that M. Foye can claim to write authoritatively on the management of hawks, since the advice which he gives is based not only on what he has read, but on what he has learned by experience. This has been gained chiefly with the Goshawk and Sparrow-hawk, and his instructions for training these birds will, therefore, be useful to those desirous of taking up this branch of the sport. With a female Goshawk which he trained, he killed during the first season (1884) 322 rabbits, three hares, and two magpies; and the following season 280 rabbits, two leverets, eleven partridges, four magpies, and two squirrels.

219. BELVALLETTE (Alfred). TRAITÉ D'AUtourSERIE. Illustré de vingt gravures et vignettes par Ernest Orange. Paris. 1887. sm. 4to.

In this country we use the term falconry in a somewhat wider sense than is the case in France, including thereby every kind of flight with a hawk, whatever may be its species. French falconers apply the term fauconnerie only to flights with the longwinged hawks (Peregrine, Merlin, Hobby, and Jerfalcon), flights with the short-winged Goshawk (autour) and Sparrow-hawk (épervier) coming under the expressive and very convenient term autourserie. To this branch of sport M. Belvallette has devoted an entire volume, albeit a small one, nicely printed, and illustrated with a dozen full-page plates and some pretty text cuts, which, if not always original (we recognise the work of both English and Japanese artists), are appropriate and fairly accurate. M. Belvallette is well known in France as a skilful falconer, and

he writes with a thorough knowledge of his subject. On this account his little book commends itself at once as being thoroughly practical.

220. CERFON (C.). DE LA BASSE VOLERIE et du dressage pratique de l'Autour et de l'Epervier. Avec 36 gravures dont 18 hors texte. Vincennes. 1887. 8vo.

Dealing solely with the management of the Goshawk and Sparrow-hawk, this treatise possesses the novelty of being illustrated with Japanese figures reproduced from the Ehon taka kagami (which see, under Japanese authors).

The appearance of so many French books on Hawking within the last decade augurs well for the maintenance of this time-honoured sport.

Exposition Uni

221. PICHOT (Pierre Amédée). verselle Internationale de 1889 à Paris. FAUCONNERIE. Catalogue Illustré. Avec "La Fauconnerie d'autrefois et la Fauconnerie, d'aujourd'hui" conférence faite à la Société Nationale d'Acclimatation le 21 Mars, 1890, par M. Pierre Amédée Pichot. Paris, Librairie

Leopold Cerf. 1890. 4to.

In this the latest French publication on the subject, we have an illustrated Catalogue of the contents of the Falconry Court at the Paris Exhibition, 1889, including several portraits of Falconers from photographs or old pictures, representations of the sport from Blaine's "Rural Sports "(No. 63), and figures of two eagles trained for hawking, namely (1) a Golden Eagle, belonging to M. Paul Gervais of Rosoy, par Acy-en-Multien, brought from Turkestan by M. Benoit Maichin, and trained to kill hares and foxes, and (2) a Bonelli's Eagle, belonging to M. Edmond Barrachin of Ermont par Harblay, procured with another in Spain, and trained to kill rabbits.

Two of the most useful plates are the outline illustrations on pp. 21, 22, forming a key to the portraits contained in the large folio plates of Heron-hawking in Schlegel's fine work (No. 194).

The lecture on Ancient and Modern Falconry (pp. 49-92) contains much information that will repay perusal.

Provençal.

DE PRADES.

DELS AUZELS

222. DEUDES CASSADORS [Les Oiseaux Chasseurs. Poème en Provençal de la fin du XII ou commencement du XIII° siècle].

The author of this poem was a troubadour, a native of Prades near Rodez (Aveyron), who, according to Raynouard (Choix des Poésies originales des Troubadours, 1816-1821, tom. v. 1820, p. 126), was a man of talent and natural good sense, and knew a great deal about Hawks. E si soup moult la natura dels Auzels prendedors.

From his poem we may learn how to know a good GoshawkCossi den hom conoisser austor sa; and a good Sparrow-hawkCossi den hom conoisser esparvier de bonas faissos. Other verses treat of De cantas maneiras so'l falco. . . Esmerillos e de lurs conoissensas. .... Cals hom deu tener auzel. . . . . Cant auzel a febre (quand l'oiseau a fièvre), etc.

Under the heading D'esperimens d'auzels we find reference to some which the author says were set forth in a book written by Henry I. King of England, who loved hawks and hounds better than any one:

Of the book here referred to no MS. is known to exist, although Deudes de Prades must have seen a copy not long after the death of the royal author.

Baron de Noirmont observes (Hist. de la Chasse en France, iii. p. 90): "On trouve dans ce poème des traces manifestes de l'œuvre du faux Symmachus, probablement antérieur à Vincent de Beauvais (contemporain d'Albert) et Brunetto Latini (le célèbre grammarien Florentin du 13° siècle) et notre plus ancien traité de fauçonnerie en langue vulgaire."

See also Galvani, Osservazioni sulla Poesia de Trovate, 8vo, Modena, 1829, and an article by M. G Azais in vol. viii. of the Journal des Chasseurs.

Catalan.

223. SYMMACHUS (Aquila) et THEODOTIO EPISTOLA Aquilæ Symmachi et Theodotionis ad Ptolemæum regem Ægypti DE RE ACCIPITRARIA, Catalanica lingua. Lutetiæ. 1612. 4to.

This apocryphal letter, said to have been addressed to a certain Ptolemy King of Egypt by Aquila Symmachus and Theodotio, is cited by Albertus Magnus in his treatise de Falconibus, 1478. The original Latin MS. has been lost, and the treatise is now only known through the version in lingua Catalanica printed by Rigault in his Rei Accipitrariæ Scriptores pp. 183-200, and the Excerpta ex libro incerti auctoris de naturâ rerum, printed in the same collection (pp. 201-211). It has been characterised by Baron de Noirmont (op. cit.) as "le plus ancien traité de fauconnerie en langue vulgaire," and treats of the different kinds of hawks used by falconers, the diseases to which they are subject, and the remedies recommended for them.

It commences :-" Assi comensa lo libre dell nudriment he de la cura dels ocels los quals sepertãye ha cassa. . . . . Gran Emperador & Senyor tu as manat à nos servidors teus fer obra brev & profitable dels ozels del libre dels antics translatant ab diligencia. Et nos obediens à la tua volentat ajustatz ensems atorgan brevmēt la tua demanda. E volen la tua altea saber que diverses son les maneres dels ocels d'cassa, & diverses son lurs malauties he moltes, per asso lurs son necessaries les medecines."

Under the heading Del nudriment dell Sperver-i.e., the Sparrow-hawk-is the following curious observation (p. 186), which I have not found noticed by any other writer on

Falconry:" Esperver pres del niu, si al matin es pris lexal endurar tro almigdia, mas si es pres la nuyt, endrire tro ala tercia dell seguen jorn."

These extracts will serve to convey an idea of the language in which this treatise is written—a curious mixture of French and Spanish. The longest chapter, "De les malaties he de les medecines des ocels specialment de Falcon" (pp. 190-196), contains several of the quaint recipes which characterise so many of the old works on Falconry in different languages.

Spanish.

224. SANCHO VI. (El Sabio). Los PARAMIENTOS DE LA CAZA. [1180.] Règlements sur la Chasse en général par Don Sancho le Sage, Roi de Navarre, publiés en l'année 1180. Avec Introduction et Notes du traducteur, H. Castillon d'Aspet. Paris. 1874.

12mo.

This code of regulations relating to the chace was promulgated in 1180 by Sancho VI., the wise King of Navarre. Written upon parchment, it has ever since been preserved amongst the archives of the ancient city of Pamplona, where, after the lapse of 700 years, it has, through the labours of M. Castillon, been carefully transcribed and printed.

With the exception of the English Forest Laws of King Canute (1017-1036), it is believed to be the oldest as well as the most complete code of the kind in existence.

According to M. Castillon, the earliest document of this character in France is dated 1321, or nearly a century and a half later than that of King Sancho. Le Livre des déduicts de chasse de Gaston Phoebus, Comte de Foix, et Vicomte de Béarn, was composed some years before the Ordonnance of 1396 which formed the foundation of all French legislation on the subject, and it is curious to note the close resemblance which the work of the French noble bears to that of his Spanish