98 INVALIDISM AND ITALY. 



chrysdetos), and the ring-tailed eagle (Falco fulvus of 

 Buffon). This view was controverted on the occasion 

 above humorously referred to, by P. S. Selby, Esq., of 

 Twizell House, now well known throughout the scientific 

 world as the author of " Illustrations of British Ornitho- 

 logy," and for thirty years one of Mr Wilson's most valued 

 friends. Our author, however, did not willingly abandon 

 his theory. The following letter, addressed to Sir William 

 Jardine, Bart., besought the benefit of his information :■ — 



" 53 Queen Street, Edinburgh, 

 Uth March 1823. 



"Deae Sie, — I ought, perhaps, to apologise for troubling 

 you with this letter ; but as I know your attachment to 

 those studies to which it relates, I have little doubt you 

 will excuse me. There was recently read to the Werne- 

 rian Society a paper by Mr Selby, the object of which was 

 to prove the identity of the ring-tailed and golden eagles. 

 Mr S. considers the former as the young of the latter. 

 As this opinion is at variance with the one which I had 

 advocated some years ago in a paper on the genus Falco, 

 published in the Wernerian Transactions, and with the 

 sentiments which I still maintain, I drew up an answer to 

 Mr Selby's communication, and gave at the same time a 

 general account of the different opinions entertained on 

 this disputed point. These opinions are three in number. 

 1st, The old notion, which maintains that the golden and 



