a person who brings up, tames, and makes, that is, tutors and manages, birds of prey; as falcons, hawks, &c. See Falconry.

The grand signior, it is said, usually keeps 6000 falconers in his service.—The French king had formerly a grand falconer, which was an office distinguished from that of great hunter, grand veneur. Historians take notice of this post as early as the year 1250.

A falconer should be well acquainted with the quality and mettle of his hawks, that he may know which of them to fly early and which late. Every night after flying he should give them cafting; one while plumage, sometimes pellets of cotton, and at another time physic, as he finds necessary. He ought also every evening to make the place clean under the perch, that by her cafting he may know whether she wants scouring upwards or downwards. Nor must he forget to water his hawk every evening, except on such days as she has bathed; after which, at night, she should be put into a warm room, having a candle burning by her, where she is to sit unhooded, if she be not ramage, that she may pick and prune herself.—A falconer should always carry proper medicines into the field, as hawks frequently meet with accidents there. Neither must he forget to take with him any of his hawking implements; and it is necessary he should be skilful in making lures, hoods of all sorts, jesses, bewets, and other furniture. Neither ought he to be without his coping irons, to cope his hawk's beak when overgrown, and to cut her pounces and talons as there shall be occasion: nor should his cauterizing irons be wanting.

William, an ingenious Scots sailor, who, about the year 1762, came up to London with a pretty pathetic poem, called the Shipwreck, founded on a disaster of his own experience. The publication of this piece recommended him to the late duke of York; and he would in all probability have been suitably preferred, if a second shipwreck, as may be supposed, had not proved fatal to him, and to many gentlemen of rank and fortune with whom he failed. In 1770, he went out a volunteer in the Aurora frigate, sent to carry Messrs Vanfittart, Scrafion, and Ford, the supervisors appointed to regulate our East India settlements; which vessel, after it had touched at the Cape of Good Hope, was never more heard of. Before his departure, he published a very useful Marine Dictionary, in one volume 4to.