235 
on Dr. Jerdon's ‘Birds of India.’ 
character between the Bhyri and Shdhin; and I suspect that its 
habits will likewise prove intermediate. As all of the Australian 
specimens which I have seen were essentially similar, I do not 
perceive how the race can be appositely designated an " acci¬ 
dental” variety of F. peregrinus. In like manner Professor 
Schlegel only acknowledges the Australian Hobby (Hypotriorchis 
lunulatus) as Falco subbuteo frontatus *. (It ranges, as he tells us, 
to Amboyna and Ceram.) Now two common British birds 
which are very similar in appearance are universally recognized 
as good species (Phylloscopus trochilus and P. rufus), because 
we happen to be familiar with them, and to know of the difference 
of their notes and in the colouring of their eggs; but if P. rufus 
were brought as new from a distant region, and we were (as usual) 
unacquainted with its voice and with its eggs, upon the same 
principle it should be ranged as P. trochilus rufus; and no slight 
confusion would be introduced if we were to attempt to classify 
the Asiatic species of Phylloscopus and allied forms after this 
fashion ! Alexander Wilson used to be irate at finding so many 
well-marked North-American species of birds set down as “ varie¬ 
ties ” (and usually “ degenerate ” varieties) of European species; 
and, with considerably increased knowledge, all of those now meet 
with general acceptation as acknowledged species. I quite hold 
with Dr. Jerdon in his remarks on species and varieties (Intro¬ 
duction, p. xxv et seq.), and think with him that "it is more 
convenient in practice to give to each [recognized] race a distinct 
specific name, than to speak of them as Yar. A. or Var. B. of 
such a species,” or, again, than to affix a double specific name, 
according to the system of Professor Schlegel. Indeed 1 look 
upon it as essentially a matter of convenience, more especially 
with regard to the views respecting species and varieties which 
have been propounded by Messrs. Darwin and Wallace. 
9. Ealco PEREGUiNATORf, Sundevall. (The Shdhin.) F. ruber, 
* Mr. Gould, in his recent e Handbook to the Birds of Australia/ remarks 
that it “ combines in its structure characters pertaining to the Hobby and 
to the Merlin of Europe,” and moreover that it is a “ stationary ” or non- 
migratory species in all of the colonies which he visited. In structure it is 
decidedly a true Hobby, as distinguished from the Merlin group. 
t [Mr. J. H. Gurney has called our attention to the fact that an adult 
female, attributed to this species, in the British Museum, believed to be 
it Zr 
