122 Letters, Announcements, S^c. 



to Falco lagopus of Gmelin (Syst. Nat. i. p. 260), which dates 

 from 1788, altogether ignoring the Falco norvegicus of 

 Latham (Gen. Syn. Suppl. i. p. 282), which dates from J 787. 

 Both these names are founded upon the Rough -legged Falcon 

 of Latham (Gen. Syn. i. p. 75) ; and if the Utopian law of 

 priority is to be observed, the specific name of norvegicus 

 must be substituted for that of lagopus, which dates later by 

 a year. 



Messrs. Newton, Sharpe, and Dresser also agree in giving 

 to the Greenland Falcon the specific name oicandicans, which 

 they date from 1788 (Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 275). This 

 name is founded on the White Jer-Falcon of Latham (Gen. 

 Syn. i. p. 83), as is also the Falco islandus of Latham (Gen. 

 Syn. Suppl. i. p. 282), which dates from 1787. Latham 

 afterwards (Ind. Orn. i. p. 32) altered the name to Falco 

 islandicus. Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser both include this 

 name under the synonyms of Falco candicans, but ignore the 

 earlier name, either because it escaped their attention, or 

 because they were afraid to alter a name which had received, 

 the sanction of so high an authority as Professor Newton, 

 the Stricklandian code notwithstanding. 



No book has been the cause of more confusion in nomen- 

 clature than Boddaert's Table of the ' Planches Enluminees ' 

 of Daubenton. Familiar names of long standing have been 

 abandoned by the three ornithologists 1 have named, and 

 new names have been raked up from this deservedly for- 

 gotten pamphlet, causing great annoyance to other ornitho- 

 logists who are anxious to further the real study of birds, 

 without hindrance from the pedantic alterations of unneces- 

 sary synonymy. All this confusion has been perpetrated in 

 the name of the British Association in obedience to the law 

 of priority. 



Another book has now been unearthed from obscurity, 

 published by Gerini in 1767 (Orn. Meth. Dig.) ■^. Accipiter 



* Ornithologia Metliodice Digesta atqiie Icouibus Aeneis ad vivum 

 illuminatis ornata. Tomus Primus. Ad regiam celsitudinem serenissinii 

 Petri Leopoldi, Regii Principis Iluugarite ac Boheniiae, Arcliiducis Aus- 

 triie, -Magui Ducis Etrurite &.c. &c. ^;c. Floreutiie, aiiuo mdcclxvii. In 

 yEdibus Mouchianiy cum fiieultate Pr;et?iduiu. Fol. 



