Vol. 35, pp. 73-76 March 20, 1922 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



NOTES ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE GENUS 

 CRYPTURUS ILLIGER. 



BY HARRY C. OBERHOLSER. 



The generic name Crypturus as originally proposed by Illiger 

 (Prodromus System. Mamm. et Avium, 1811, after April, p. 

 244) included two species — Tetrao cinereus Gmelin and Tetrao 

 major Gmelin. It has since universally been employed as the 

 generic designation for the group of which Tetrao cinereus 

 Gmelin is a member, and this species has been consistently 

 cited as its type. However, as may be seen by reference to the 

 introduction of Illiger 's work (Prodromus System. Mamm. et 

 Avium, 1811, after April, pp. XVI-XVII) the name Crypturus, 

 along with a number of others, chiefly mammal names, must be 

 regarded as merely substitutes for older names that Illiger for 

 one reason or another intended to reject. His reasons for 

 rejecting Sula and Tinamus may be seen from the quotation 

 given below, as these two generic names are included in a list 

 of 37 names, all the rest of which relate to mammals, by which 

 the paragraphs of this quotation are immediately followed : 



"Nomina itaque generica, ab auctoribus transmissa, sancte 

 quidem servavi, nisi aperte praecepta Linnaeana offendebant; 

 tuncenim cum aliis ilia mutavi, in quibus eligendis consilium, 

 benevolenter impertitum, clarissimorum Virorum, in graecis 

 litteris versatissimorum, Lichtensteinii patris et Buttmanni, me 

 duxit. Nomina generica, quae rejeci, secundum regulas 

 codicis nostri, Philosophiae nempe botanicae Linnaeanae, 

 quibus, contradicunt, digesta jam enumerabo. 



§220. Nomina generica primitiva (uti barbara, quum lingua 

 eorum ab eruditis non intelligatur) nemo sanus intro- 

 ducit. 



15— Pboc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 35, 1922. (73) 



