value, he greatly prized. It seems, however, that kindness and care had
softened the nature of the hawk, or the regularity with which he was fed,
rendered the usual habits of his family unnecessary to his happiness; for,
as he increased in age and size, his familiarity increased also, leading
him to form an intimate acquaintance with a set of friends who have been
seldom seen in such society. Whenever the pigeons came to feed, which they
did often-times from the hand of their almoner, the hawk used also to
accompany them. At first the pigeons were shy, of course; but, by degrees,
they got over their fears, and ate as confidently as if the ancient
enemies of their race had sent no representative to their banquet. It was
curious to observe the playfulness of the hawk, and his perfect good
nature during the entertainment; for he received his morsel of meat
without that ferocity with which birds of prey usually take their food,
and merely uttered a cry of lamentation when the carver disappeared. He
would then attend the pigeons in their flight round and round the house
and gardens, and perch with them on the chimney-top, or roof of the
mansion; and this voyage he never failed to make early in the morning,
when the pigeons always took their exercise. At night he retired with them
to the dovecote: and though for some days he was the sole occupant of the
place, the pigeons not having relished this intrusion at first, he was
afterwards merely a guest there; for he never disturbed his hospitable
friends, even when their young ones, unfledged and helpless as they were,
offered a strong temptation to his appetite. He seemed unhappy at any
separation from the pigeons, and invariably returned to the dovehouse,
after a few days purposed confinement in another abode, during which
imprisonment he would utter most melancholy cries for deliverance; but
these were changed to cries of joy on the arrival of any person with whom
he was familiar. All the household were on terms of acquaintance with him;
and there never was a bird who seemed to have won such general admiration.
He was as playful as a kitten, and, literally, as loving as a dove.