FEB. 4, 1921 abstracts: ornithology 63 



Cook, Tonga, Fiji, Ellice, Gilbert, Marshall, Caroline, and Ladrone. There 

 was made a collection comprising 406 specimens of birds, representing 93 

 forms, 14 of them here described for the first time. An annotated list of 

 the species obtained gives various data on plumage, relationships, and dis- 

 tribution, and includes also various critical notes. The new species and 

 subspecies here described are as follows: Ixobrychus sinensis moorei, from 

 Uala Island, Caroline Islands; Glohicera oceanica townsendi from Ponape 

 Island, eastern Caroline Islands; Sauropatis sacra rabulata from Eua Island; 

 Tonga Islands; Saiiropaiis sacra celada from Vavau Island, Tonga Islands 

 Myiagra townsendi from Kambara Island, Fiji Islands; Conopoderas atypha 

 from Fakarava Island, Paumotu Islands; Conopoderas atypha rava from 

 Whitsunday Island, Paumotu Islands; Conopoderas atypha crypta from Ma- 

 kemo Island, Paumoto Islands; Conopoderas atypha agassizi from Apataki 

 Island, Paumotu Islands; Conopoderas atypha nesiarcha from Rangiroa 

 Island, Paumotu Islands; Conopoderas atypha erema from Makatea Island, 

 Paumotu Islands; Conopoderas percernis from Eukuhiva Island, Marquesas 

 Islands; Pinarolestes nesiotes from Kambara Island, Fiji Islands; and Wyzo- 

 niela ruhrata [sic ] dichromata from Ponape Island, eastern Caroline Islands. 



H. C. Oberholser. 



ORNITHOLOGY.— A'ote5 on North American birds. IX. Harry C. Ober- 

 holser. Auk 36: 556-559. 1919. 

 The proper name for the bird now known as Phaethon americanus is Lep- 

 tophaethon lepturtis catesbyi, since the American bird is only subspecifically 

 separable from Leptophaethon lepturus. The form of Scaeophaethon rubri- 

 caudns occurring accidentally in North America proves to belong to the 

 subspecies Scaeophaethon rnbricaiidus rothschildi instead of to the typical 

 race as hitherto supposed. The forms of the genus Casnierodiiis {Herodias) 

 are commonly considered as distinct species. They are, however, only 

 subspecifically related, as their individual variation clearly shows. Birds 

 from Australia, separated recently as Herodias alba syrmatophora Gould 

 by Mr. G. M. Mathews, do not appear to differ sufficiently from Casmero- 

 diues albus tiinoriensis to be maintained as a separate subspecies. The 

 forms of this beautiful heron should, therefore, stand as Casmerodius albtis 

 albus, Casmerodius albtis timoriensis, and Casmerodius albus egretta. The 

 specimen that forms the basis of the North American record of Charadrius 

 dubius Scopoli proves to belong to the recently distinguished race Charadirus 

 dubius curonicus. This being the case, it should stand as such on our North 

 American list. H. C. O. 



ORNITHOLOGY. — A new subspecies of Prunella modtdaris from the Pyrenees. 

 Francis Harper. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 32: 243-244! 1919. 

 Se\'eral specimens of Prunella modtdaris from the Pyrenees of France 

 represent a new subspecies, which is here called Prvtnella modularis mabbotti. 

 It differs from its nearest ally, Prunella modidaris modularis in the much more 

 grayish, less rufescent coloration of the back and wings. The type locality 

 is a mountain about three kilometers south of Salliagouse, Departrhent of 

 Pyrenees-Orien tales, France. Harry C. Oberholser. 



