ClafsII. L A N N E R. 139 



bird. We are here to obferve, that much caution is 

 to be ufed in defcribing the hawk kind, no birds be- 

 ing (0 hable to change their colors the two or three 

 firft years of their lives : inattention to this has 

 canfed the number of hawks to be multiplied far be- 

 yond the reality : the marks to be attended to as 

 forming the charaders of the fpecies, are thofe on the 

 quil feathers and the tail, which do not change ; ano- 

 ther reafon for this needlefs increafe of the fpecies 

 of this tribe of birds, is owing to the names given to 

 the fame kinds in different periods of their lives, by 

 the writers on falconry, which ornithologifts have 

 adopted and defcribed as diftind kinds : even Mr. 

 Ray has been obliged to copy them. The falcon, 

 the falcon gentle, and the haggard, are made diftindt 

 fpecies, whereas they form only one : this is explained 

 by a French author, who wrote in the beginning of 

 the lad century, and effectually clears up this point; 

 fpeaking of the falcon, he tells us, '* S'il eft prins en 

 " Jum, Juilkt & Aoujl^ vous le nommerez Gentil: 

 *' fi en Septemhrey 05fobre^ Novemhre ou Decembre, 

 *' vous le nommerez Pelkrin ou Pajfager : s'il eft 

 " prins en Janvier, Febtirier et Mars^ ii fera nomme 

 ** Antenere : et apres eftre mue une fois ec avoir 

 " change fon cerceau, non auparavant, vous le dires 

 ** Hagar, mot HebneUy qui fignifieeftranger *. 



* La faucomierie de Charles d' ArcuJJta feigneur i'Efparrony /- 1 4. 

 tme e£f. Pari} 1607. 



X^ 2. Species 



