308 NOTES ON THE SPOTTED EAGLE, AQUILA N^VIA. 



albicante insigneta ; dorsi maculis coloribus bubalini ; venter 

 similibus lineis striatus. Gmel. Syst. Nat., Vol. I., p. 258. 



From the synonyms of each it is as clear as possible that 

 Gmelin's Nos. 49 and 50 are one and the same species, and 

 that he was not describing new species when he wrote these 

 brief descriptions, but was compiling from descriptions by older 

 authors. His Falco ncevius is the Aquila ncevia of Brisson, 

 whose description he excessively condenses into two lines ; but 

 for the synonyms, and the repetition of Brisson's erroneous total 

 length, also of Brisson's expression u magnitudo galli grandis," 

 Gmelin's description is so imperfect that no bird could by its 

 means be recognized. 



His Falco maculatus is evidently quoted from Latham, 

 not perceiving that it was the same species as No. 49. The 

 longitudinal dimension is Latham's, and I may observe, is about 

 the length of the bird, if not stretched out, but measured as 

 it sits. Gmelin repeats the description of the oval spots on the 

 wings, and of the buff oval spots on the back. This being 

 the case, we may dismiss at once the idea of any connection 

 between Falco maculatus, Gmel., and the smaller North German 

 Spotted Eagle. 



"With regard to Pallas's description of Aquila clanga, the 

 synonyms and the description leave no room for doubt as to 

 the species intended ; and it would be wasting time to prove 

 that Aquila clanga, Pallas, is Aquila ncevia, Brisson, Falco ncevius, 

 Gmel., and Falco maculatus, Gmel. and Latham. Pallas ap- 

 parently refers to the bird in a more advanced stage. 



When I had written thus far, my friend Mr. Hume kindly 

 sent me Sharpe's catalogue of the Accipitres, in which he applies 

 Latham's term " maculata''' to the lesser European Spotted 

 Eagle. In a foot-note Mr. Sharpe says : " There is so much dif- 

 ference of opinion as to which is the true F. ncevius of Gmelin that 

 it is best to adopt the title of A. maculata for the species." 



Against such application I strongly protest, and I have above 

 shewn that the term strictly belongs to the larger Spotted 

 Eagle. Let it be remembered that Mr. Sharpe applies the name 

 of the Kamtschatchau, Siberian and Indian Eagle to the 

 Pomeranian one, and I think few will follow him. It may be 

 interesting as a display of fancy synonymy, but hardly accords 

 with my views of the accuracy desirable in ornithological 

 nomenclature. 



Mr. Sharpe gives a long list of synonyms, which he considers 

 belongs to the Pomeranian Eagle, and a few remarks upon them 

 may be useful, should my views be admitted to be correct. 



The first synonym Mr. Sharpe gives is — 



1. — IJAigle tachete, Brisson. This term applies only to the 

 larger bird. 



