













234 ‘Mr. J. H. Gurney’s Notes on 
the type; but B. latissimus appears also to form a link 
between the typical Buzzards and the genera Rupornis and 
Butastur, and it especially bears a strong general resemblance 
in its markings: to one species of the latter genus, Butastur 
indicus of Mr. Sharpe’s work. 
Buteo latissimus has hitherto been usually known by the 
specific name of “pennsylvanicus;’”’ but Mr. Sharpe has adopted 
for it in preference that of “ Jatissimus,’ and has favoured 
“ Wilson first named Accipiter fuscus ‘ Falco pennsylvanicus.’ 
He subsequently gave the same name to the Buzzard; but 
afterwards finding his mistake in naming two birds thus, he 
himself altered that of the Buzzard to ‘ Falco latissimus.’ This 
must be the name, as the older one was preoccupied ”*. 
In the case of the allied species, for which Mr. Sharpe has 
adopted the specific name of “ obsoletus,” he has also dropped 
a more accustomed appellation, that of “ swainsoni,’ and in 
this instance apparently on insufficient grounds. The name 
of Falco obsoletus was given by Gmelin to the “ Plain Falcon ”” 
of Pennant’s ‘Arctic Zoology ;’? but on reference to the de- 
seription of this bird given in’ Pennant’s work, I am decidedly 
of opinion that it was taken from an immature specimen 
either of Falco gyrfalco or of F. islandicus (including under 
the latter-term F. holbelliit of Mr. Sharpe’s work), and I 
therefore look upon Buteo swainsoni as the correct name for 
the present species. I may add that Mr. Sharpe includes 
among the synonyms of Buteo swainsont the ‘ Buzzard 
Falcon” of Pennant’s ‘ Arctic Zoology,’ which, so far as 
it relates to an American Buzzard, appears to me to refer to 
the immature plumage of B. borealis, as it is styled, accord- 
ing to Pennant, “The great Hen-hawk,” which is known to 
be an appellation of B. borealist. 
* [As the application of the name pennsylvanicus has remained prac- 
tically unchallenged for about sixty-four years, we trust that Mr. Sharpe’s 
cation of the law of priority.— Eb. ] 
} I reserve for future consideration, in its proper place, the question of 
the specific distinctness of Falco holbelli. 
{ Conf. Audubon’s ‘ Ornithological Biography,’ vol. i. p. 270. 
me with the following explanation of his reason for doing so: 
ee ee ee ee ee een eee eee Ee eS 
proposed change will not be adopted, based, as it is, upon a strained appli- 








