LINNEAN GENUS FALCO. 609 



The Common Falcon itself, is one of the first ^^^^ 

 varieties in which we perceive an approach to the 



name of Falco communis, which does not in any ornithological 

 work apply to the species in a state of maturity, and has by 

 some authors been applied to a bird which does not belong to 

 the falcon tribe. Jt is besides, necessarily associated with so 

 many vague and contradictory descriptions of ill-defined spe- 

 cies, that if used as a specific name, it will long continue to be 

 the source of error and confusion. The specific name of F. 

 peregri?uis, on the contrary, is not liable to any such objection. 

 The species has been well and clearly defined, and has never 

 been confounded with any other species, except indeed hf means 

 of such of its immature varieties, as have been included under 

 the unfortunate title of Falco communis. Besides, the assump- 

 tion of such a title as that of F. communisj Gm. by Cuvier, is 

 in contradiction even to his own opinion. It will be seen by re- 

 ferring to his late work, {Regne Animal, Note p. 310.) that, 

 when stating his opinion in regard to the inaccuracies of 

 Gmelin respecting the Common Falcon, he observes, that the 

 variety oe. Frisch, 74. should be considered not as a Falcon but 

 a Buzzard. Now, this variety a, is in fact the very F, com- 

 munis which he has adopted as the representative of a species 

 ' which he considers is synonimous with the F. peregrinus and all 

 its varieties. 



I trust that enough has been said to shew the propriety ot 

 the name of F. communis being no longer used as a specific ap- 

 pellation f and that consequently the title of F, peregrinus 

 should be retained, to designate the species which has always 

 borne that name, as well as such immature varieties as had 

 been referred to another species, but which recent obsfervations 

 iiave proved are not really distinct. 



