Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/484

* FALCK. 436 FALCONER. he was appointed president of the Schleswig- Holstein Assembly of the Scates, but lost the support of the Liberals by his vacillating policy. He published a Juristische Encyklopiidie (5th ed. 1851), and was a prolific author in the his- tory and jurisprudence of Sehleswig-Holstein. His works include: Handbuch des schleswig-hol- steinischen Privatrechts (1825-48) ; and Samm- lungen zur nahern Kunde des Yaterlandes (1819- 25). He also edited the Staatsbiirgerliches Magdkin (10 vols., 1S21-31; continued as .Veues Staatsbiirgerliches Magazin, 10 vols., 1833-41). FALCKENSTEIN, falk'en-stin, Eduard Vo- GEL VON. See VOGEL VOX FALCKENSTEIN, EDUABD. FALCON, fal-kon'. A maritime State of Ven- ezuela, occupying the territory around Lake Maraeaibo in'the northwestern part of the Re- public (Map: Venezuela, C 1). Including the former State of Zulia, annexed since 1881, Falcon covers an area of 36,212 square miles. It is traversed by a chain of low mountains, and the soil in the' valleys is very fruitful, though the coast regions are dry and barren. The chief prod- ucts are coffee, cacao, corn, cotton, sugar-cane, cocoanuts. fruits, and tobacco. Stock-raising is of importance, and the State has some mineral wealth. Population of Falcon, in 1894, 141,689. Maraeaibo is the capital. FALCON (OF. faucon, falcon, It. falcone, from Lat. falco, falcon, from falx, sickle). Broadly, any hawk of the family Falconidse, more usually and scientifically one of those species which." in the language of falconry, were styled 'noble' birds of prey. The true falcons are char- acterized by a bill curved from the base, the upper mandible hooked at the point, and the cut- ting edge of the upper mandible furnished with a prominent projection or 'tooth.' The claws are also sharp, curved, and strong; and in accordance with all this powerful armature the whole frame is very robust and muscular. The legs are rather short, and have great power in striking or seizing prey. The breast-bone and shoulder-girdle are large and adapted for the attachment of powerful muscles : the wings are long and pointed. The true falcons are bolder in proportion to their size than any other of the Falconida?, even the eagles. Their acuteness of vision is wonderful, and they have very great powers of flight. A falcon is recorded aa having traversed the distance between Fontainebleau and Malta, not less than 1350 miles, in 24 hours. They soar to a prodigious height in the air, always endeavoring to outsoar any bird of which they may be in pursuit, and to swoop down upon it from above; although it is far more difficult for them to rise vertically in a calm atmosphere than for birds of Bhori and rounded wing, and they either rise obliquely — often making their onward flight in a series of —or avail themselves of the wind, and by flying against it arc borne aloft as a boy's kite is. The species are numerous and widely distrib- i. Some of them :irc of very wide range. while others are peculiar to certain countries or climates. The best-known American species are the gyrfalcon (q.v.), formerly confused with the [ci ■ a nd i he I freenland falcon, ami the peregrine falcon, known in the United States as duck-hawk, of which (lie female is par ■ 'the falcon' of falconers, and the male 'tiercel.' or 'tercelet.' The hobby {Fa the red-footed ot n d li id falcon (Falco rufipes), a small species, much re- sembling the hobby; the merlin (Falco cesalon) ; and the kestrel or windhover (Falco tinnuncu lus), are common and well-known English species. The gyrfalcon and peregrine are Euro- pean also. The name falcon is sometimes ex- tended to cover all of the various birds included in the Falconidae, some 350 species, of which about one-tenth occur in the United States. The birds commonly called buzzards, eagles, kites, hawks, harriers, ospreys, and caracaras (qq.v.) are usually included in that family, but it is ob- viously confusing to call them all falcons, and the word is better restricted therefore to the genus Falco, in its present restricted sense. For the use of falcons in sport, see Falconry; fur books relating to the family, see Birds, and consult Fisher, Hanks and Owls of the United States (Washington, 1893) ; and for portraits, see Plates of Eagles and Hawks, and Falcons and Falconet. FALCON. A small mediaeval gun. They were generally long (20 to 30 calibre) and light While some are said to have been of sufficient size to throw shot of six pounds weight, the majority were much smaller. In the sixteenth century Henry II. of France decreed that the falcon 'should fire a ball of one pound weight, and that the falconet should use one weighing one- half pound. See Artillery. FALCON, fal-kon', Juan Cris6stomo (1820- 70). A Venezuelan soldier and politician, born on the peninsula of Paraguana ( State of Falcon, then Province of Coro). In 1858 he became the leader of the Federalist revolutionary movement in Coro, and in 1863 entered Caracas in triumph and was elected President of Venezuela. He sanc- tioned the promulgation of a new constitution in 1864. Overthrown in a revolutionary riot three years later, he withdrew to Europe, whence, upon the success of a counter-revolution, he was sum moned again to assume offiee. He died on the return voyage. FALCONE, fal-ko'na, Angelo, or Aniello (1600-65). An Italian battle-painter and etcher, born in Naples, lie was a pupil of Jusepe de Ribera (q.v.), and himself founded a large school. His work being mostly confined to battle pieces, lie was called 'L'oracolo delle battaglie.' At the outbreak of the revolt of the Neopolitans under Masaniello against Spain, he organized his pupils into the 'Compagnia della morte,' which never spared a Spaniard. For this he was compelled to flee to France, where he was well received. Under the protection of Colbert he returned to Naples where he died in 1605. His paintings, of which not many survive, are full of life and animation, are brilliant in color and correct in drawing. As he seldom signed them, they are confounded with those of Salvator Rosa, also a pupil of Ribera The Prado (Madrid) possesses many of his bat- tle pieces, tin' Louvre one. and the Museum of Naples two. He was also an etcher of note. executing with a light and spirited point. FALCONER. fa/k'nSr, Edmund (1814-79). I lie assumed name of Edmund O'Rourke, an Eng- lish actor and playwright. He was horn in Dub- lin. Ireland, first performed <m the English pro- vincial stage, and afterwards went to London, becoming manager of the Lyceum Theatre i 1858, and again in 1861), and of Drury Lane (1862). lie wrote for other theatre-, and was in the