50 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



Family PLOCEIDAE. 

 Erythrura tricolor (Vieillot). 



The name Erythrura tricolor can no longer be employed for the species of 

 weaver bird to which it has been applied, since its original combination, 

 Fringilla tricolor Vieillot (Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., XII, 1817, p. 233; 

 Timor), is debarred by Fringilla tricolor Linnaeus (Syst. Nat., ed. 12, I, 

 1766, p. 323; Surinam, Dutch Guiana), applied to some other and unde- 

 termined species. The proper name for the Timor bird seems to be 

 Enjthnira forbesi Sharpe (Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XIII, 1890, p. 387; 

 Loetoer, Timorlaut Island, East Indies), from Timorlaut Island, since the 

 latter is, according to both E. Hartert (Novit. ZooL, XI, 1904, p. 217) and 

 C. E. Hellmayr (Zool. Timor, I, 1914, p. 62), inseparable from the bird 

 from Timor. 



Since the generic name Erythrura was originally spelled Erythura (Swain- 

 son, Nat. Hist, and Classif. Birds, II, 1837, p. 280), the species at present 

 under consideration should now stand as Erythura forbesi (Sharpe). 



Spermospiza guttata (Vieillot). 



The Loxia guttata of Vieillot (Hist. Nat. Ois. Chant., 1805, p. 103, pi. 

 LXVIII; Malimba, French Congo, West Africa), which is now known as 

 Spermospiza guttata, must give way on account of Loxia guttata Shaw 

 (Mus. Lever., II, No. 6, 1796, p. 47, upper fig. [2] of plate; Australia), which 

 is now called Stagonopleura guttata (Shaw). The next available name for 

 this weaver bird seems to be Fringilla pustulata Voigt (Cuv. Thierr., I, 1831, 

 p. 581), which is a renaming of Loxia guttata Vieillot. This appears not 

 to be preoccupied, because Fringilla pustulata Lichtenstein (Verz. Saug. und 

 Vogeln Zool. Mus. K. Univ. Berhn, 1818, p. 24), which refers to a form of 

 Leucosticte from the Kuril Islands, is a nomen nudum. The weaver bird, 

 Spermospiza guttata, we must, therefore, hereafter call Spermospiza pustu- 

 lata (Voigt). 



Estrilda cinerea (Vieillot). 



The name Estrilda cinerea must be changed, since its basis, Fringilla 

 cinerea Vieillot (Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., XII, 1817, p. 176; Africa), is 

 rendered untenable by Fringilla cinerea Gmelin (Syst. Nat., I, ii, 1789, p. 

 922; Unalaska, Alaska), which is now considered a synonym of Melo- 

 spiza melodia sanaka McGregor. A name for Estrilda cinerea is to be found 

 in Fringilla troglodytes Lichtenstein (Verz. Doubl., 1823, p. 26; Senegambia), 

 and it should be known hereafter as Estrilda troglodytes (Lichtenstein). 



