106 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 



Ill, pt. 4, 1S79, p. 336; "mountainous parts of the island of Eromanga, 

 New Hebrides") becomes preoccupied by Tardus albifrons Gmelin (Syst. 

 Nat., I, ii, 1789 [not after April 20], p. 822; "Nova Seelandia"), which is 

 now known as Miro albifrons (Gmelin). Since Merula albifrons Ramsay 

 has apparently no synonym, it may be known as Turdus proleucus, 

 nom. nov. 



Merula tristis Swainson. 



Since Merula tristis Swainson (Philos. Mag., new ser., I, No. V, May, 1827, 

 p. 369; [Temiscaltipec, Mexico]) now takes Turdus for its generic name, it 

 needs also a new subspecific name, for it thus becomes preoccupied by 

 Turdus tristis Muller (Vollst. Natursyst., Suppl., 1776, p. 145; "Senegal"), 

 which is a questionable synonym of Pycnonotus xanthopygus. As no name 

 seems to be left for Merula tristis Swainson, we propose Turdus assimilis 

 lygrus nobis. Since Merula tristis is no longer available as a specific term, 

 the oldest tenable name among the races of this species becomes Turdus 

 assimilis Cabanis (Mus. Hein., I, 1850, p. 4; "Xalapa"), and the forms of 

 the species will now stand as follows: 



Turdus assimilis assimilis Cabanis. 

 Turdus assimilis lygrus Oberholser. 

 Turdus assimilis cnephosa (Bangs). 

 Turdus assim,ilis leucauchen Sclater. 



Merula grayi lurida (Bonaparte). 



The Planesticus luridus of Bonaparte (PI [anesticus]. luridus Bonaparte, 

 Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci., XXXVIII, No. 1, January 9, 1854, p. 4, in 

 text of footnote; "Nouvelle Grenade"), when used in combination with the 

 generic name Turdus, is preoccupied by Turdus luridus Hermann (Observ. 

 Zool., 1804, p. 202; [no locality]). Its earliest available name, therefore, 

 is Merula incompta Bangs (Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XII, June 3, 1898, p. 

 144; "Santa Marta, Colombia"), which Dr. C. E. Hellmayr (Journ. f. 

 Ornith., 1902, pp. 50, 52) considers of identical application. The proper 

 name for this bird therefore becomes Turdus grayi incomptus (Bangs). 



Merula bicolor Layard. 



The transference of the generic name Turdus to Merula, in so far as it 

 concerns Merula bicolor Layard (Ibis, ser. 3, Vol. VI, No. XXII, April, 

 1876, p. 153; [Kandavu Island, Fiji Islands]) renders the specific name of 

 this species invalid on account of Turdus bicolor Gmelin (Syst. Nat., I, ii, 

 1789 [not after April 20], p. 835; "Caput Bonae spei"), which is now 

 Spreo bicolor (Gmelin). Its next available name is Merula rujiceps Ramsay 

 (Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, ser. 1, I, pt. 1, 1876, p. 43; "Fiji 

 Islands"), and it will therefore now stand as Turdus rujiceps (Ramsay). 



Merula flavirostris Swainson. 



When Merula flavirostris Swainson (Philos. Mag., new ser., I, No. V, 

 May, 1827, p. 369; "[Temiscaltipec] Mexico") becomes Turdus flavirostris 

 (Swainson), it is ineligible for use on account of Turdus flavirostris Horsfield 



