February, 1921.] 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist. 



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editions every decade, leaving the subject 

 of changes to rest from official action in 

 the interim. This would give us ten year. 

 intervals of approximate stability instead 

 of a constant and progressive series of 

 change. 1920 was the year for the ac- 

 cumulated proposals of change to be con- 

 sidered and decided upon and a new^ Check- 

 list published. However, one of the im- 

 portant matters under consideration at the 

 1919 annual meeting was the proposal 

 from the British Ornithologist's Union that 

 the two associations should unite in a check- 

 list of birds of the Avorld in which we were 

 to assume charge of the part covering 

 America. 



It was recognized that, however desir- 

 able this might be, it brought to the fore 

 the fundamental differences between Eu- 

 ropean and American practice, but it was 

 hoped that grounds of agreement could be 

 arrived at. Harmonizing of opposed views 

 and the mutual concessions necessary to 

 agreement is a difficult matter, and though 

 the publication of a check-list has been 

 held up, that object of the negotiations has 

 not yet been arrived at. The committee 

 on Xomenclature has been busy, however, 

 and has decided that the results of their 

 findings should no longer be withheld. 

 Considering that this supplement is "a 

 considerable part" of ten ^-ears accumula- 

 tions it is not as bad as the annual install- 

 ments of possibilities led us to fear. The 

 additions and changes number 32, the re- 

 jections 35. Those affecting the names of 

 Canadian birds are as follows: 



Generic Changes. 



Megalestris Bonaparte, Skut, becomes 

 Catharncta Brunnich. 



Hydrocheledon Boie, Black Tern, beco- 

 mes Chlidonias Rafinesque. 



Thalassidroma Vigors, Storm Petrel, be- 

 comes Hydrobates Boie. 



Aestrelata Bonaparte, Petrels, becomes 

 Pterodroma Bonaparte. 



Clangula Oken, Goldeneye, becomes 

 Glaucionetta Bonaparte. 



HercJda Stephens, Harlequin, becomes 

 Clangula Leach. 



Macrorhamphus Forster, Dowitcher, be- 

 comes Limnodromus AVied. 



Calidris Illiger, Sanderling, becomes 

 Crocethia Billberg. 



Helodromas Kaup, Solitary Sandpiper, 

 becomes Tringa Linnaeus. 



Heteractitis Stejneger, Wandering Tat- 

 ler, becomes Heteroscelus Baird. 



Charadrius Linneaeus, Golden Plovers, 

 becomes Pluvialis Brisson. 



Acgialitis Boie, Ring Plovers, becomes 

 Cha}ad)ius Linnaeus. 



Cathaiista Vieillot, Black Vulture, be- 

 comes Coragyps Geoffroy. 



AIuco Fleming, Barn Owls, becomes 

 Tyto Billberg. 



Saxicola Bechstein, Wheatears, becomes 

 Oenanthe Vieillot. 



The Gannet, Sula Bassana (Linnaeus), 

 is placed in another genus and becomes 

 Moris bassana (Linnaeus). 



Specific and Subspecific Changes. 



Calidris leucophaea Pallas, Sander- 

 ling, becomes Crocethia alba Pallas. 



Vermivora rubricapilla Wilson, asli- 

 ville Warbler, becomes Vermivora rufica- 

 pilla Wilson. 



Compsothlypi-s americana usnea Brews- 

 ter, Northern Parula AVarbler, becomes 

 Compsothlypis americana pusilla Wilson. 



It is evident from this that many of our 

 oldest and most familiar names have gone 

 into synonomy but it is also to be noted that 

 the Committee have dropped diphthongs 

 in the .spelling which is an advance in the 

 direction of simplicity and a relief to the 

 printer who is Avithout an unlimited font. 



A list of 35 rejections follows, which 

 many of us maj' wish twice as long. 



Under ' ' General Notes. ' ' 



B. H. Swales, p. 463, records a Hooded 

 Warbler seen on Belle Isle in the Detroit 

 River, Mich., May 6, 1920. This is only a 

 fraction of a mile from the Canadian 

 boundary and the record is of interest in 

 connection with our few records of the 

 species in south-western Ontario. 



Harrison F. Lewis, pp. 464-465, gives a 

 very circumstantial account of a Blue- 

 gray Gnatcatcher seen at Quebec City, May 

 18, 1920. There is another old but poorly 

 substantiated record for this species at 

 Montreal. Mr. Lewis' description of its 

 characteristic tail twitching and repeated 

 hoarse note is very convincing and places 

 the occurrence on as firm a basis as is 

 possible for a sight record of so unusual 

 an event. 



