Turdus nanus, Aud., was based upon a small specimen of the eastern Hermit Thrush, since Audubon distinctly says so in his account of the supposed species. The name nanus antedates pallasi; but the latter having been used, in a restricted sense, exclusively for the eastern race, while nanus has been almost wholly applied, of late years, to the small west-coast form now to be called T. aonalaschkae, it seems best to discard the name nanus altogether and adopt for the eastern birds that of pallasi, as next in order of date.

61. HELONÆA swainsoni, Aud.-According to Agassiz, the correct orthography of the generic name of this species (if to be separated from Helmitherus) is Helonaa and not "Helinaia," as spelled by Audubon. (Cf. Newton, P. Z. S., 1879, p. 552.)

144a. Leucosticte griseinucha (Brandt) Bp.-The present indications are that this form does not intergrade with L. tephrocotis, but, on the contrary, is a well-defined species of very constant characters confined strictly to that portion of the Alaskan coast west of the one hundred and thirty-fifth degree of west longitude.

146a. Ægiothus linaria, "var. fuscescens."-No examples referable to the so-called fuscescens having ever been taken in winter, while the particular stage originally so named is represented by birds in highly intensified midsummer dress from various portions of subarctic America (the interior of the continent and coast of Alaska, as well as Labrador), the inference is natural that "fuscescens" represents simply the midsummer plumage of the common species. (Cf. Coues, Birds of the Northwest, 1874, p. 115.)

146b. Egiothus CANESCENS exilipes (Coues) Ridgw.-There is every probability that E. canescens is a quite distinct species, since it occurs in almost every district inhabited by Æ. linaria (especially in the Nearctic Region), and cannot therefore be a geographical race of the same species. E. canescens and Æ. linaria holbölli are the large boreal races breeding in Greenland; E. canescens exilipes and E. linaria proper are the smaller continental forms.

159a. Passerculus ANTHINUS, Bp.-This seems to be quite distinct from P. sandwichensis, and probably more nearly related to

160a. Passerculus GUTTATUS, Lawr., which proves to be very distinct from P. rostratus.

165 a (Appendix). Ammodromus nigrescens, Ridgw.-As has already been insisted by Mr. Maynard (see Am. Sportsman, V. Jan. 16, 1875, . p. 248), this bird is very probably distinct specifically from A. maritimus.

169. Melospiza FASCIATA (Gm.) Scott.-We can see no valid reason why Gmelin's name for this species should not be used instead of Wilson's, bestowed upon it nearly a quarter of a century later. (Cf. Scott,

Am. Nat., 1876, p. 17.) The recognizable forms of this species should therefore be known as (169 a) M. FASCIATA fallax, (169b) M. FASCIATA guttata, (169c) M. FASCIATA rufina, (169d) M. FASCIATA heermanni, and (169 e) M. FASCIATA SAMUELIS (samuelis antedating gouldii).

169f. Melospiza CINEREA (Gm.)Ridgw.-Through the explorations of Messrs. Dall, Turner, and Nelson, the fauna of Unalashka has of late years been very thoroughly investigated, and we are thus able to identify the "Cinereous Finch" of Pennant (Arct. Zoology, II, p. 68) upon which Gmelin based his Fringilla cinerea (S. N., I, ii, p. 922) with the species which Professor Baird afterward named Melospiza insignis (Trans. Chicago Acad., I, i, p. 319, pl. 29, fig. 2). Through the same means it becomes equally certain that the Oonalaska Bunting of Pennant and Latham (Emberiza unalaschcensis, Gm., S. N., I, ii, p. 875) is, as some authors have long maintained, the bird usually called Passerella townsendi (Aud.). The known forms of Passerella having been proven by Mr. Henshaw to intergrade, and therefore, to constitute mere geographical races of a single species, they should be known by the following names:188. P. iliaca (Merrem) Sw.

“189" a. P. ILIACA UNALASCHCENSIS (Gm.) Ridgw.

189 a. P. ILIACA schistacea (Baird) Hensh.

-. P. ILIACA megarhyncha (Baird) Hensh.

the latter-connecting unalaschcensis with schistacea, but peculiar in the extremely robust bill and other characters-not being given in the "Check List.”

170a (Appendix). Peucæa arizona, Ridgw.-There is very strong probability of this being quite distinct, specifically, from P. æstivalis. (See Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., I, 1878, p. 127, foot-note.)

177. Spizella MONTANA (Forst.) Ridgw.-Forster's name of montana applied to this species in 1772 antedates Gmelin's name monticola (1788), and, there being no objection to it otherwise, should be substituted for it.

180 a. Spizella BREWERI, Cass.-Thus far there appears not the slightest evidence that this bird should be referred to S. pallida. The respective habitats of the two overlap quite considerably, and they may always be easily distinguished by the markings of the head.

191. SPIZA americana (Gm.) Bp.-In 1858 Professor Baird rejected the generic name Spiza for this species, for the reason that, although it "was first used in connection with Emberiza americana,” it was "so mixed up with types of several other modern genera as to render it uncertain whether to apply it to one rather than to another"-at the same time remarking that "if Spiza pointed more unmistakably to the E. americana it might, perhaps, be necessary to adopt it." ("Birds N. Am.," p. 494.) Upon referring to the "Specchio Comparativo," where Bonaparte next, after its institution, mentions his genus Spiza, I find, in the

foot-note on p. 47, that he distinctly names E. americana as the type of the genus ("Reconoscemmo inoltre, che quest' uccello [E. melanocephala] è il perfetto analogo della Fringilla americana TIPO DI QUEL SOTTOGENRE"). Four years later, however, Bonaparte proposed the name Euspiza for the same type ("Saggio," p. 141), but according to recognized rules this later name becomes simply a synonym of Spiza, as does also Cabanis's name Euspina, the latter substitued for Euspiza (Mus. Hein., I, p. 133), under the misapprehension that the type of the latter was the Emberiza melanocephala of Scopoli (see M. H., p. 130)-a species not only generically distinct from E. americana, Gmel., but moreover hardly a member of the same subfamily.

201. Phonipara ZENA (Linn.) Bryant.-"Fringilla bicolor," Linn., S. N., ed. 12 (1766)=F. zena, Linn., S. N., ed. 10 (1758).

206. Pipilo fuscus MESOLEUCUS (Baird) B. B. & R.-The Arizona form of this species is very easily distinguishable from the true fuscus of Mexico, the latter being without the rufous cap of mesoleucus, the colors in general darker, etc.

212b. Agelæus TRICOLOR (Nutt.) Bp.-Totally distinct from A. phœni

ceus.

233. Pica RUSTICA hudsonica (Sab.) Baird.-The earliest available name for the European Magpie appears to be Corvus rusticus, Scopoli (1769), which considerably antedates "melanoleuca, Vieill." (1818), and is now adopted by European authorities. (Cf. Dresser, Birds of Europe, pt. xxii.) The American bird, therefore, if to be separated subspecifically from the European (for which there certainly seems sufficient reason), should be named as above.

239 a (Appendix). Perisoreus obscurus, Ridgw.-Since the original description of this bird was published Mr. Henshaw has obtained additional specimens, and, by an examination of them, together with the types, has adopted Mr. Sharpe's conclusion (Cat. B. Brit. Mus., III, p. 105) that the form in question is a distinct species, an opinion in which I at present wholly agree. Not so, however, with capitalis, Baird, which Mr. Sharpe treats in the same manner; the latter unquestionably grades directly into P. canadensis, and consequently, notwithstanding it is a very strongly marked form, should be called P. canadensis capitalis.

The Perisoreus obscurus is of much more restricted range than was at first supposed, and probably does not extend much, if any, north of Sitka. The examples alluded to in Hist. N. Am. B. (Vol. II, p. 302), as coming from "north of Sitka and in the Yukon territory," and which were stated to "incline toward the var. canadensis," are in reality referable to P. canadensis, of which they constitute a separable race, distinguished by the less extent and dingy or smoky tinge of the frontal

white patch and generally darker colors. This new race may be characterized as follows:

PERISOREUS CANADENSIS FUMIFRONS, Ridgw.

CH.-Similar to canadensis proper, but colors darker and more dingy throughout, and the white of the forehead obscured, or even sometimes almost wholly obliterated, by a wash of smoky gray or brown.

Hab.-Coast of Alaska.

265. CAPRIMULGUS vociferus, Wils.-I can see no reason whatever for removing this bird from the genus Caprimulgus. The type of "Antrostomus" is the C. carolinensis, Gmel., which differs from all the other Caprimulgi (so far as I am aware) in possessing fine lateral filaments to the rictal bristles, so that, in case this character be deemed sufficient, the genus Antrostomus may stand, if restricted to the single species possessing this feature. (Cf. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., I, pp. 142, 143, pls. i, ii.)

266. PHALÆNOPTILUS nuttalli (Aud.) Ridgw.-This species is decidedly peculiar in the combination of its salient points of structure, having a lengthened, naked tarsus, like Nyctidromus, a characteristically velvety plumage, short, even tail, and unique wing-formula; features which, taken together, render it a very well-marked genus, which may be characterized as follows:

PHALENOPTILUS, gen. nov.

CH.-Differing from Caprimulgus and “Antrostomus" in the short, even tail (much shorter than the wing), and lengthened, perfectly naked tarsus (longer than the middle toe), the first quill shorter than the fourth, and the plumage with a peculiar, velvety, moth-like surface.

Type, Caprimulgus nuttalli, Aud.

As stated on pages 142, 143, Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Vol. I (1878), the characters supposed to separate the American Antrostomi from the Old World species of Caprimulgus, particularly the type of the latter genus (C. europæus, L.), are wholly intangible, with the exception of A. carolinensis, which has minute lateral filaments to the rictal bristles, these being in all other species perfectly smooth, ⚫ or simple. On the other hand, the Caprimulgus nuttalli of Audubon has so many decided peculiarities of structure that it is somewhat a matter of surprise that its place in the genus 66 Antrostomus " has not been questioned ere this. In fact, P. nuttalli is quite as distinct in its external structure from "A." vociferus and its allies as is the Nyctidromus albicollis. The more prominent differences of structure in these forms may readily be seen by comparison of the birds themselves, or by examination of the outline drawings of plates I and II of the volume of the "Proceedings" referred to above.

268. Chordeiles ACUTIPENNIS texensis (Lawr.) B. B. & R.-The Chordeiles texensis of Lawrence is merely a slightly different northern form

of C. acutipennis (Bodd.) Cass., of South America. (See Sclater, P. Z. S. 1866, p. 134, and Hist. N. Am. B., II, pp. 400, 407.)

267. Chordeiles POPETUE (Vieill.) Baird.-Brisson's name virginianus was not restricted to this species until many years after the institution of Vieillot's name popetue; the latter, therefore, notwithstanding its barbarous character, is, by all the rules, entitled to retention.

269. CYPSELUS saxatilis (Woodh.) Ridgw.-This species agrees so very closely in details of structure with C. melba, Linn., that there seems to be no good reason for separating it genericaly from the genus Cypselus, unless C. melba also is removed to another genus. The type of Panyptila being the Cypselus cayannensis, Gmel., the elimination of C. saxatilis does not, of course, affect the validity of the latter genus, as properly restricted; still, there is not much more difference of form between "Panyptila" cayennensis and C. saxatilis than between C. melba and C. apus, the latter being the type of Cypselus. C. apus has the feet much weaker and the tarsus much more densely feathered than C. melba; C. saxatilis is nearly intermediate in this respect, though coming much nearer to C. melba.

273. BASILINNA xantusi (Lawr.) Elliot.-See Elliot's "Synopsis of the Trochilidæ*", p. 227.

284. Trogon AMBIGUUS, Gould.-The species described in "Birds of North America," and figured in the atlas to that work, is the present one, and not T. mexicanus. The latter is chiefly distinguished by the absence of white bars on the tail-feathers, which are uniform black underneath, except the broad white tip.

295. XENOPICUS albolarvatus (Cass.) Bd.—In addition to the very tangible external characters pointed out by Professor Baird in his characterization of a subgenus Xenopicus (B. N. Am., p. 83), may be mentioned the fact that the tongue is scarcely extensile, its tip, when fully protruded, reaching only of an inch beyond the tip of the bill, or just the same as in Sphyropicus thyroideus, while in Picus villosus harrisi the protrusion amounts to 2 inches, or 13 inches more! (See Orn. 40th Parallel, pp. 546, 548, and 552, under lists of specimens of the above species.)

301. Picoides TRIDACTYLUS americanus (Brehm) B. B. & R.-As pointed out in "History of North American Birds" (Vol. II, pp. 529534), the differences between the American and European white-backed species of this genus are very slight, and by no means sufficient to warrant specific separation. The common form should therefore be known as above, and the Rocky Mountain race, if deemed sufficiently distinct, as

A Classification and Synopsis of the Trochilidæ. By Daniel Giraud Elliot, F. R. S. E., etc. Washington City: Published by the Smithsonian Institution ["Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge," No. 317.] [March, 1879.]