Falco albicans J. F. Gmelin, 1788

Schmitt, Stéphane & Gouraud, Christophe, 2024, The significance of Buffon and Guéneau de Montbeillard’s Histoire naturelle des oiseaux ([1765] - 1783) in the taxonomy of birds: General presentation and correspondence between Buffon’s “ eagles ” and the species acknowledged by Linnaeus (1758, 1766), Brisson (1759 - 1762), and Gmelin (1788 - 1789), Zoosystema 46 (16), pp. 361-409 : 393

12. Buffon’s variety of the “Jean-le-blanc”

12.1. Linnaeus (1758): not considered.

12.2. Brisson (1759a: 367-370, 1763a: 107): “ LANIER BLANC ”, “ LANARIUS ALBICANS ”, species 18 of genus VIII (“Épervier”, “ Accipiter ”), order III, section 1.

OBSERVATION. — No direct observation. Description borrowed from Aldrovandi.

REFERENCES. — Aldrovandi (1599: 380-382), “ Lanarius ”, direct observation and various sources; Schwenckfeld (1603: 304), “ Milvus albus ”, based on Turner and Aldrovandi; Jonston (1657: 12, pl. IX), “ Lanarius ”, based on Aldrovandi; Sibbald (1684: 15), “ Milvus albicans. An Lanius albicans ? ” (in a list of Scottish birds); Rzączyński (1745: 395), “ Milvus albus ”, based on Aldrovandi and Schwenckfeld.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — Doubtful species. Aldrovandi mentioned two “ Lanarii ” and considered them two varieties of the same species: the first one (total length: about 50 cm) was probably a harrier; the second one, bigger (total length: about 70 cm), is not identifiable with certainty (the grey, white, and brown color, as well as the longitudinal rusty spots of the belly and beneath the wings evoke a juvenile male harrier too; however, it is not in accordance with the size). Furthermore, these two birds may have been confused, in the other mentioned sources, with other unidentifiable birds of prey.

12.3. Linnaeus (1766): not considered.

12.4. Buffon in Buffon & Guéneau de Montbeillard (1771a: 134- 135), quarto edition; (1771b: 105), folio edition: Variety of the “Jean-le-blanc” (see above, 11.4).

OBSERVATION. — No direct observation. Short description borrowed from Brisson.

REFERENCES. — Aldrovandi (1599: 380-382); Schwenckfeld (1603: 304); Brisson (1759a: 367).

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — See Brisson. The identification of the second “ Lanarius ” of Aldrovandi with Buffon’s “Jean-le-Blanc” (i.e., * Circaetus gallicus ) is very improbable.

12.5. Gmelin (1788: 276): “ FALCO ALBICANS ” G42, S102, order “ Accipitres ”. Includes a variety β.

REFERENCES. — Brisson (1763a: 107); Aldrovandi (1599: 380- 383); Latham (1781: 87 no. 73), “White Lanner”; based on Brisson and Aldrovandi.

REMARK. — Gmelin distinguishes between the two “ Lanarii ” of Aldrovandi; he considers one of them the main species, and the other the variety β; he wonders whether the species itself, “ Falco albicans ”, may be a mere variety of “ Falco Lanarius ” (G42, S24), i.e., Buffon’s “Lanier” (among “falcons” and related species).

DISTRIBUTION. — Europe.

MODERN IDENTIFICATION. — See Brisson.

MODERN NOMENCLATURE. — Falco albicans J. F. Gmelin, 1788 , is a nomen dubium.