GYR FALCON. 293 



the comparative length of the wings and tail, it is obviously 

 of no account, and cannot even be determined with certainty 

 in skins. Farther observations, however, are necessary to de- 

 termine whether the grey birds from Iceland, if kept several 

 years, remain of the same colour or change to white. 



Of all the dcscribers of birds, Brisson seems to me to be the 

 most accurate, and yet his Gyrfalco Islandicus, which he says 

 is found in Iceland, is represented as having the bands on the 

 two middle tail-feathers continuous, and the upper parts dusky 

 spotted with whitish. The figure, however, is not correct in 

 the form of the bill and several other particulars. But whether 

 there be two species or not of Jer Falcons, I believe that those 

 above described by me are all of one single species, of the 

 many specific names given to which I think the best are those 

 of Gyrfalco and candicans. Linnaeus, whose specific names 

 have the best claim upon us, named it Falco Gyrfalco, and re- 

 ferred to Brisson's figure and description, both of which repre- 

 sent an adult white bird. This name, therefore, ought un- 

 questionably to be retained. 



