SYNONYMS. 



SCIENTIFIC. Polynomials. /^icns varius major a/is 

 aiireis, Catesby, "Natural History of Carolina, Florida and 

 the Bahama Islands," Vol. I, plate 18, full size colored figure, 

 1731. 



Caniliis alls deanratis, Klein, "Historiae Avium Prodromus, 

 cum Praefatione Ordine Anamalium," etc., 17o(), page 30. 



Binomials. Ciiai/us aiiratus, Linnaeus, ' ' Sy.stema Na- 

 turae," IToS, 10th Edition, Vol. I, p. 112. 



Piciis aiwaUis, Linnaeus, "Sy.stema Naturae," ITOC), 12th 

 Edition, Vol. I, p. 174. 



Colaptes anratns, Swain.son, "Zoological Journal," 1827, 

 Vol. Ill, p. 858. 



Colaptes atiratus luteus. Part, Bangs, "Auk," 189S, Vol. 

 XV, p. 117. 



Modern nomenclature dates from 17oS, when Linnaeus in- 

 troduced what is known as the binomial system, consisting of 

 a generic, followed by a .specific term ; hence Catesby 's many- 

 worded descriptive name, though the earliest, receives no rec- 

 ognition. The same may be .said of Klein who, almost a .score 

 of years later, erroneously placed it with the Cuckoos. Lin- 

 naeus followed his predecessors closely, considering the differ- 

 ence in .systems, and to him is given the credit of the .specific 

 term ; while to Swainson, erecting a new genus almost a cen- 

 tury after Catesby, is given that of the generic term. 



According to Coues, Colaptes is of Greek derivation, signi- 

 fying " a chi.sel, hammer," and auratus, " gilden, golden (col- 

 ored"). More appropriate terms could scarcely have been 

 cho.sen. Bangs' third term, reducing the northern bird to sub- 

 specific rank, follows to complete the synonymy, illustrating 

 the in.stability of American nomenclature and the difficulties 

 placed in the way of a .study of the literature of a .species. 



Though the American Ornithologists' Union does not 

 recognize hybrid forms as even sub-species, some of our lead- 



