THREE NEW BRITISH BIRDS. 241 



We now have, however, an occurrence recorded by Mr. 

 W. Eagle Clarke {Scot. Nat., I9I2, p. 9), which must be 

 regarded as that of a genuine migrant. This example 

 arrived in company with a crowd of migrants at Fair 

 Isle on May I5th, 1911. 



The Thrush-Nightingale differs from our Nightingale 

 chiefly in the considerably more brownish, less rufous, 

 colouring of its upper-parts ; in the breast and sides of 

 the throat being mottled with greyish-brown ; and in 

 the first (bastard) primary being very small and narrow, 

 and only about half the length of the primary-coverts, 

 whereas in our Nightingale it is much larger, and usually 

 considerably longer than the primary-coverts. 



The Thrush-Nightingale breeds in south and middle 

 Sweden, south Finland, Denmark, a narrow belt along 

 the Baltic in north Germany, north-east Germany 

 generally, Galizia, Trans-sylvania, Roumania, Russia east 

 to the Ural (Orenburg), and south-west Siberia to the 

 Altai. It is casual and rare in west Europe, and winters 

 in east Africa. 



With regard to its scientific name, there can be no 

 doubt that Linnaeus referred to the Thrush-Nightingale 

 and not the Common Nightingale under the name 

 " Motacilla luscinia,'' and that the Thrush-Nightingaje 

 must be called, by the International Rules, Luscinia 

 luscinia, and our Nightingale Luscinia rnegarhyncha. 

 We are extremely glad to note that Mr. Eagle Clarke 

 follows the Rules, and calls the Thrush-Nightingale 

 Luscinia luscinia {Scot. Nat., 1912, p. 9). It is unfortunate 

 that the name luscinia must be transferred from our 

 Nightingale to the Thrush-Nightingale, but unless the 

 Law of Priority is strictly adhered to, it will be quite 

 impossible to attain to uniformity. So long as indi- 

 vidual choice is allowed and departures from the Rules 

 are made, then so long will uniformity be delayed. That 

 uniformity is our greatest need, and that this can only 

 be reached by strict adherence to International Rules 

 is our firm conviction, and we sincerely congratulate 

 Mr. Eagle Clarke on his action, by which the Law of 

 Priority is recognized in an important case. — Eds. 



