Vol. 30, pp. 75-76 March 31, 1917 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



MUTANDA ORNITHOLOGICA. 

 I. 



BY HARRY C. OBERHOLSER. 



During the past several years the writer has incidentally noted 

 a number of necessary changes in the current scientific names of 

 birds. It seems desirable to throw these into the ornithological 

 current, where they may be picked up by any workers who may 

 have occasion to use them. It is therefore the present purpose 

 to publish these in a series of articles under the above caption 

 from time to time as opportunity permits. 



Family Anatidae. 



Nettion torquatum (Yieillot). 



This duck was originally described from Paraguay as Anas torquata by 

 Yieillot,* but this name is preoccupied by Anas torquata Gmelin,t a 

 synonym of Branta rnficollis Pallas. Another name is therefore required 

 for the species, and is found in Anas leucophrys Yieillot * ; and Nettion 

 torquatum should henceforth be known as Nettion leucophrys (Yieillot). 



Chloephaga magellanica (Gmelin). 



The specific term magellanica, § by which this bird has commonly been 

 known, is rendered untenable by Anas magellanica Sparrman,|| which 

 refers clearly to Chloephaga hybrida (Molina). The proper name for 

 Chloephaga magellanica of authors becomes, therefore, Chloephaga leu- 

 coptera (Gmelin). IT 



Family Falconidae. 



Cerchneis gracilis (Lesson). 



The species at present known as Cerchneis gracilis (Lesson) of the 

 Seychelles, is in need of a new name, since it was originally Falco 



* Anas torquata Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., V, 1816, p. 110. 



t Reise Russl.. II, 1774, p. 179. 1. 14. 



t Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., V, 1816, p. 156. 



§ Anas magellanica Gmelin, Syst. Nat., I, ii, 1789, p. 505 (Straits of Magellan). 



II Anas magellanica Sparrman, Mus. Carlson., fasc. 11,1787, t. 37 (Straits of Magellan). 



H Anas leucoptera Gmelin, Syst. Nat., I, ii, 1789, p. 505 (Falkland Islands). 



17— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (75) 



