160 Mr. J. H. Gurncy^s Notes on 



Mr. Sharpe vises for the European Merlin, to wliich I next 

 propose to allude, the designation of " Falco regulus f but the 

 list of synonyms of this species in Dresser^s 'Birds of 

 Europe/ vol. vi. p. 83, shows that Tunstall's specific name of 

 " Msalon " has priority. If, however, we follow Kaup, as I 

 am disposed to do, and adopt " jEsalon " as a subgeneric 

 appellation, I. think we ought in that case to fall back upon 

 " regulus " as the specific name, and call the present species 

 yEsalo7i regulus. 



With reference to Mr. Scully's interesting remarks on the 

 dress ultimately assumed by the female of tiiis species {vide 

 Ibis, 1881, p. 418), I may mention that he was so good as to 

 show me his Cashmere female there described, and that I 

 should Avithout hesitation have taken it to be an adult though 

 very pale-tinted male, had not its female sex been ascer- 

 tained beyond question by dissection, Mr. Scully having not 

 only anatomically examined it, but having also attached to 

 the skin a sketch of the ova in situ, as brought to light by 

 his dissection. 



Mr. Sharpens summary of the geographical range of this 

 species does not include Northern Africa and the more 

 southern countries of Central Asia ; but detailed information 

 on this head will be found in the article on this species in 

 Dresser's ' Birds of Europe,' to which I have already referred; 

 and to this I may add that the Norwich INIuseum possesses 

 a specimen from Japan and another from Formosa *, two 

 localities more eastern than any recorded by Mr. Dresser. 



I have never seen an example of the small race of this 

 species recorded by Severtzoft" from Turkestan {vide Ibis, 

 1875, p. 107), and can therefore offer no opinion as to its 

 specific distinctness. 



Referring next to the ordinary Merlin of the American 

 continent, y^sa/ow columbarius, I may mention that the Nor- 

 wich Museum possesses a specimen from Quito and another 

 from Cuen5a, both these localities being somewhat more to 

 the southward than that given by Mr. Sharpe as the southern 

 limit of this species. 



* Conf. Ibis, 1872, p. 2,27, 3877, p. 144, and 1878, p. 249. 



