iy6 Oberholser, The Wrens of the Genus A)iorthiira. \^^ 



lodytes fiirvus auct.^) and Troglodytes armidinaccus Vieillot ( = 

 Thryoihonis ludovicianus auct.), the European wren being mentioned 

 in only the most incidental manner ; and since we are not so much 

 concerned with what he intended as with what he actually did, it 

 follows that one of the three species he treats must be considered 

 the type of the genus. Vieillot himself soon afterward removed 

 Troglodytes artuidinaceus to form the type of T/iry of horns ^^ leaving 

 two congeneric forms, the first of which, aedo/i, has more and 

 better claims to be treated as the type of Troglodytes. 



Although with this view of the matter the name Hylemathrous 

 Maximilian 3 is of course untenable, it may not be out of place to 

 mention that it can in no case enter into the equation, for it is a 

 name of character exactly similar to Anorfhiira, and is a pure 

 synonym of Thryothorus., not of Troglodytes! It is proposed in the 

 following fashion : " F/(f//A7/belegtdiese Familie mit der Benennung 

 Binsenspringer {Iryotlioriis) [err. typ.], die aber nicht vollkommen 

 auf die Lebensart der von mir beobachteten Vogel passt, da ich 

 sie nur in dichten Gebiischen und nicht am Wasser gesehen babe. 

 Man konnte sie eher Hylcmatlirous (der im Busche ruft) nennen."* 



Maximilian furthermore does not mention the name except in 

 this one place, preferring after all to use Thryotlwrus of Vieillot. 

 Aside from the four species which he here formally refers to 

 Thryotlwrus and which, by the way, now belong to as many different 

 genera, he adds in his general discussion of the genus : "Hierhin 

 gehoren noch mehrere andere Vogel, z. B. Troglodytes firrviis., 

 aedon Vieill.^ Sylvia caroliniana Wilson\=Thryothor/is ludovicianus 

 auct.], welche zum Theil auf der Granze zwischen Troglodytes und 

 Thryotlwrus stehen." ^ 



With aedon the type of Troglodytes ^ and Anorthura a synonym, 

 the short-tailed wrens of Europe and America are left without a 

 generic name, for Elachura Oates, instituted for Troglodytes puncta- 

 tus Blyth {nee Brehm), is apparently entitled to separation. 



1 The description and accompanying notes all point to this identification, so 

 that " fulva " is evidently a typographical error or lapsus cala?ni for ^^ fitrva.'''' 

 ''Analyse, 1816, p. 45. 

 ^ Beitrag. Naturg. Bras., Ill, 1830, p. 742. 

 ^Maximilian, Beitrilg. Naturg. Bras., Ill, 1830, pp. 741, 742. 

 ^Maximilian, /. c, p. 741. 



