Vol. 34, pp. 105-108 June 30, 1921 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



MUTANDA ORNITHOLOGICA. 

 XL 



BY HARRY C. OBERHOLSER. 



Six thrushes belonging to the genus now commonly called 



Merula Leach or Planesticus Bonaparte have need of a change 



of name.' These alterations in nomenclature are detailed 



below. 



The genus Tardus was first instituted by Linnaeus (Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 

 I, 1758, p. 168) to include a group of 16 species, none of which can be con- 

 sidered the type by either tautonymy or original designation. The type of 

 this genus has commonly been considered to be Turdus viscivorus Linnieus, 

 as designated by Gray (List Genera Birds, 1840, p. 27). The first author, 

 however, so far as we are aware, definitely to designate the type for this 

 group was Selby (Illust. Brit. Ornith., text of Land Birds, pt. 1, 1825, p. 

 xxix), who selected the English Blackbird, Turdus merula Linnaeus. It 

 thus becomes necessary to transfer the generic name Turdus from the group 

 to which it has commonly been applied, to the group now known as Merula 

 Leach, or more properly, Planesticus Bonaparte. By this change the 

 species now commonly placed in the group called Turdus will take for their 

 generic name Arceuthornis Kaup (Skizz. Entwick.-Gesch. Nattirl. Syst. 

 Eur. Thierw., 1829, p. 93; type by subsequent designation, Turdus pilaris 

 Linnajus). This transfer of the generic name Turdus to Merula {Planesti- 

 cus) causes the preoccupation of several specific and subspecific names in 

 the group, and it is of interest to note that these preoccupations occur 

 whether or not the genus Turdus (olim Merula or Planesticus) is recognized 

 as distinct from Arceuthornis (olim Turdus). 



Family TURDIDAE. 

 Merula albifrons Ramsay. 

 By the above explained change of the generic term Merula to Turdus, 

 Merula albifrons of Ramsay (Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, ser. 1, 



iFor the ten preceding articles in this series, cf. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XXX, pp. 75-76; 

 125-126; XXXI, pp. 47-^9; 125-126; XXXII, pp. 7-8; 21-22; 127-128; 239-240; XXXlII, 

 pp. 83-84; XXXIV, pp. 49-50. 



19 — Pboc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 34, 1921. (105) 



