ON DISEASES OF THE EAR
Should your hawk get a swelling on the ear, which afterwards produces
pus, the chances are that she will become deaf: if this disease does
nothing more, it will at least render her useless for sport. This
ailment is found in the long-winged, rarely in the short-winged,
hawks, for it arises from an ill-fitting hood; that is to say, a hawk
is fitted with a hood too large for her, which she consequently casts
repeatedly; the irritated falconer then ties a knot in the strap, and
this knot, pressing on the ear, results in a wound[672] which refuses
to heal. For this there is no cure.
I once had an excellent gazelle-saker that became afflicted with this
disease. In spite of this ailment, however, she used to take daily,
one, or two, or three gazelle. I treated her for two years without
effect, and she then died.
If the falconer detects the injury in its initial stage and applies
two leeches to the swelling, a cure _may_ be effected. If not, no
further treatment will avail. You will now understand why I cautioned
you, in a previous chapter, against putting a new hood on a newly
caught falcon, or on a falcon just taken up from the moult. Let the
hood be soft and part-worn, and of a size that fits the head.
FOOTNOTES:
[671] _Kundush_, Ar., a sternutatory plant, said to be identical with
the _nak-chhiknī_ of the Hindus.
[672] It is difficult to see how the knot would press on the ear. The
hood used in Baghdad and in the ports of the Persian Gulf is a soft
leather bag with a strap, the eye-coverings being slightly hardened
and made to protrude. This pattern differs essentially from the Indian
patterns.