X INTRODUCTION. 



species, then each of these races must have a trinomial appellation. 

 It is impossible to say which is the oldest or parent form, therefore 

 the first named race of all those grouped under one species is 

 arbitrarily taken as the typical race, and its name becomes that 

 of the species. 



Thus Parus major is the species of the Great Tit, and includes 

 all the Great Tits just as the genus Parus includes all the Tits. As 

 the form of Great Tit inhabiting northern Europe was the first 

 to be named it must be called Parus major major, and all other races 

 of Great Tits must have as their first two names Parus major. Simi- 

 larly the typical race of Wren must be called Troglodytes troglodytes 

 troglodytes if it is to be distinguished from Troglodytes troglodytes 

 hirtensis or any other race of Wren. It must be understood that 

 the binomial Parus major or Troglodytes troglodytes refers to the 

 species, i.e. the whole grouj) of subspecies, and cannot be used to 

 differentiate one of those subspecies. It cannot be gainsaid that 

 the trinomial system is of the greatest possible use scientificalty as 

 demonstrating the close relationship of geographical forms of the 

 same species, just as the binomial system demonstrates the rela- 

 tionship of species of the same genus. 



\Vhere we have used in this Hand-List a different name to that 

 adopted by Howard Saunders in his " Manual," an explanatory note 

 has been given, except in those cases where Saunders rejected a 

 specific name on account of tautonymy (e.g. Crex pratensis for 

 Crex crex), or when we have transferred a species to a different, but 

 well-known, genus. 



We have made the Synonymj^ as brief as possible, but have in 

 every case given as the first reference the earliest name and the 

 typical locality for the bird described under that name. We have 

 also given in each case the reference to Yarrell's " History of British 

 Birds," 4th edition, edited by A. Kewi:on and H. Saunders, which, 

 for the sake of brevity, has been quoted as " Yarrell," and to " An 

 Illustrated Manual of British Birds " by Howard Saunders, 2nd 

 edition, which we have quoted as " Saunders " When a bird has 

 been added to the British list since the publication of the latter 

 work, we have given a reference in the Synonymy to the first 

 record. References have also been given to names given specially 

 to British birds, whether distinct or not. " British Birds " (maga- 

 zine) has been quoted throughout as " Brit. B." 



