250 A SPKING AND SUMMER IN LAPLAND, 



have been altogether unknown to the Scandinavian 

 naturalists until lie (Schlegel) described it. And 

 Degland, in his ' European Ornithology/ reiterates 

 the same. Yes, it would indeed have been very 

 surprising had such been the case ; but not only 

 has this Falco gyr-falco been known to us even 

 from Linne's time, but we also know the tran- 

 sitions from this to the Falco candicans Islandicus, 

 Auct.; therefore we do not consider ourselves justi- 

 fied in dividing them into two or more species." 



So much for Nilsson. He clearly considers 

 this Falco ger-falco Norwegicus (Wooley), the 

 Falco Grcenlandicus (Hanc), and Falco Islandicus 

 (Hanc), as all varieties of one bird — Falco Gyr- 

 falco (Lin.), and not three distinct species; and, 

 presumptuous as it may appear for me to differ 

 from a naturalist of such standing, I cannot help 

 it. Without going into the question as to whether 

 Falco Islandicus (Hanc.) and Falco Groenlandicus 

 (Hanc.) are anything more than local varieties of 

 the same bird, I consider the dark Norwegian jer- 

 falcon a clearly distinct species from either ; and 

 although, perhaps, the young of this may be easily 

 confounded with the young of the Falco Islandicus 

 (Hanc), there is too marked a difference in my 

 eye between the old birds to admit of their being 

 considered as nothing more than the same bird in 

 a different stage of plumage. But, as I said before. 



