Vol. 32, pp. 139-144 June 27, 1919 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



GENERAL NOTES. 



SPIZELLA ARBOREA THE PROPER NAME FOR THE TREE 



SPARROW. 



Mr. Mathews is quite right in his contention (Auk, XXXVI, No. 1, Jan- 

 uary, 1919, p. 114) that Spizella monticola (Gmelin) can no longer be used 

 for the North American Tree Sparrow. In calling attention (Proc. Biol. 

 Soc. Wash., XXXI, June 29, 1918, p. 98) to the identity of Fringilla cana- 

 densis Boddaert (Tabl. Planch. Enlum. d'Hist. Nat., 1783, p. 13) with 

 Zonotrichia leucophrys, it did not occur to us to verify the original basis of 

 Spizella monticola (Gmelin), since we assumed that it had hitherto been 

 correctly identified. It now appears, however, as Mr. Mathews has con- 

 cluded, that this name is not correctly applicable to the Tree Sparrow. 

 Such parts of Gmelin's diagnosis as are not incorrect might apply to either 

 Spizella monticola or Zonotrichia leucophrys, excepting the expression 

 "Rostrum rubescens, " which is characteristic of only Zonotrichia leuco- 

 phrys in juvenal plumage. Of the five references given by Gmelin, all but 

 the last refer undoubtedly to Zonotrichia leucophrys; but Pennant's de- 

 scription of his "Tree Finch" (Arctic Zoology, II, 1785, p. 373) relates 

 wholly to the Tree Sparrow. The Fringilla monticola of Gmelin is thus a 

 composite term, but since the diagnosis and four of the references belong to 

 Zonotrichia leucophrys, we must consider Gmelin's name a synonym of the 

 latter. This being the case, another technical designatiom must come into 

 use for the Tree Sparrow. 



The next name in the usual synonymy of Spizella monticola (Auct. nee 

 Gmelin) is Fringilla canadensis Latham (Ind. Ornith., I. 1790, p. 434), 

 but this has practically the same basis as Gmelin's name, since Latham 

 cites the first four references given by Gmelin, and in addition, Gmelin's 

 own Fringilla monticola, but omits the Tree Finch of Pennant's Arctic 

 Zoology. Thus Fringilla canadensis Latham is even more clearly pertinent 

 to Zonotrichia leucophrys than is Fringilla monticola (Gmelin), and must be, 

 of course, a synonym of the former. This leaves Fringilla arbor ea Wilson 

 (Amer. Ornith., II, 1810, p. 123, pi. xvi, fig. 3; eastern Pennsylvania) as the 

 only available name for the eastern Tree Sparrow. This species and its 

 western subspecies will now require, therefore, to be called Spizella arborea 

 arborea (Wilson), and Spizella arborea ochracea Brewster. 



The present incident emphasizes anew the fallibility of human accom- 

 plishment, as well as the necessity for reverifying the original references 



and bases of all current scientific names. 



— Harry C. Oberholser. 



28— Pboc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 32, 1919. (139) 



