General Notes. 79 



INOCOTIS REICHENBACH TO BE REPLACED BY PSEUDIBIS 



HODGSON. 



The generic name Inocotis Reichenbach (Natiirl. Syst. Vogel, 1853, 

 p. XIV; type, Ibis papillosa Temminck) has been in current use for the 

 Indian ibis described by Temminck as Ibis papillosa. It is, however, con- 

 siderably antedated by Pseudibis Hodgson (Zool. Miscell., 1844, after 

 June 29, p. 86), the type of which by monotypy is Ibis papillosa. As the 

 latter is a perfectly valid name and is apparently not otherwise untenable, 

 it should be employed in place of Inocotis Reichenbach, and the sole species 

 referable to the group should be called Pseudibis papillosa (Temminck). 



— Harry C. Oberholser. 



ROSTRHAMUS LESSON VERSUS CYMINDES SPIX. 

 There appears in the text of the great work of Spix on the birds of Brazil 

 (Avium Species Novae Brasil., I, 1824, p. 7) the generic name Cymindes 

 in combination with the specific name leucopygus Spix, without comment 

 or further citation. This generic name Cymindes, although apparently 

 intended as an emendation of Cymindis Cuvier (Regne Animal, I, "1817" 

 [December 7, 1816], p. 319), is nevertheless here a new name, and is not 

 preoccupied by this latter, for it is, according to accepted codes of nomen- 

 clature, a distinct generic term, because possessing a different classical 

 ending other than of gender. Since Cymindes leucopygus is the only species 

 mentioned in connection with the generic name Cymindes, it is, of course, 

 by monotypy, its type. The Cymindes leucopygus Spix, above cited, is a 

 synonym of Herpetotheres sociabilis Vieillot; and since the name Cymindes 

 Spix antedates Rostrhamus Lesson (Trait6 d'Ornith., Feb. 13, 1830, p. 

 55; type Rostrhamus niger Ijesson = Herpetotheres sociabilis Vieillot) by 

 several years, it must replace the latter; and the species now known as 

 Rostrhamus sociabilis should hereafter therefore be called Cymindes socia- 

 bilis (Vieillot). 



— Harry C. Oberholser. 



PHOENICOTHRAUPIS CABANIS BECOMES HABIA BLYTH. 



The generic name Habia, used by Bly th in his edition of Cuvier's ' Animal 

 Kingdom,' 1840, page 184, was many years ago (The Auk, XIV, No. 1, 

 January, 1897, pp. 39-42) discussed by Dr. Elliott Coues in connection with 

 its application to the genus now commonly known as Hedymeles Cabanis, or 

 Zamelodia Coues. No final disposition, however, was there made of this 

 name. It was originally proposed in the following language: 

 "The Finch-Tanagers {Habia, Vieillot)— 



"Have a thick, bulging, conical bill, as broad as high, the upper mandible 

 of which is rounded above. 



"Such are Tan. flammiceps, Pr. Max., T. superciliosa, psittacina, and 

 atricollis, Spix, etc." 



It is evident from this quotation that the name Habia, unless otherwise 

 invalid, should be considered available for one of the groups represented 

 by the four species mentioned in the original description. These with their 

 modern equivalents are: 



