jQQg 1 Allen, Columbina vs. Chcemepelia 301 



COLUMBINA VS. CHCEMEPELIA. 



BY J. A. ALLEN. 



The case of Columbina versus ChanncpcUa presents unusual 

 conditions and is hence of interest beyond the determination of the 

 types and proper status of these two genera. 



The genus Columbina was founded by Spix in 1825 (Av. Bras., II, 

 57, 58, pll. Ixxv, Ixxva). There was no (hagnosis, and no type was 

 indicated, but four species were referred to it, as follows: 



Columbina strejritans, p. 57, pi. Ixxv, fig. 1 (= Columba picui Temm. 



1813); type of Columbula Bonap., Consp., II, 1854, 80, by subsequent 



designation (Gray, 1855). 

 Columbina campcstris, p. 57, pi. Ixxv, fig. 2; monotypic type of Uropelia 



Bonap., Consp., II, 1854, 85. 

 Columbina cabocolo, p. 58, pi. Ixxva, fig. 1 {^ Inlpacoti Temm., 1813); 



type of Talpacotia Bonap., Consp., II, 1854, 79, by tautonymy and by 



subsequent designation (Gray, 1855). 

 Columbina griseola, p. 58, pi. Ixxvo, fig. 2 (< passerina Linn., 1766); 



virtually type of Chcemepelia (Swains. 1827) by subsequent designa- 

 tion (Gray, 1840). 



Thus in 185-4 and 1855 the first three of these four species became 

 types of other genera, leaving only Columbina griseola, equal to (or 

 part of) Columba passerina Linn., as this species was at that time 

 recognized, the habitat as originally assigned to passerina being 

 "America inter tropicos." But before Columbina was dismembered 

 by Bonaparte in 1854, Columba passerina had already been desig- 

 nated as the type of Columbina by Gray (List Gen. Bds., 1840, p. 58). 



As Columbina meets all the requirements of a properly founded 

 genus, having been duly published, with several species definitely 

 referred to it, and the name being not preoccupied, it must be recog- 

 nized in nomenclature. All that was lacking from the first to make it 

 a full-fledged and properly defined genus was the designation of 

 a type, which was supplied by Gray, as already stated, in 1840. 

 Whether his designation was a proper one or not will be considered 

 later in the present paper. 



The genus Choemepelia was founded by Swainson in 1827 (Zool. 

 Journ., Ill, Aug.-Nov., 1827, 301), but without designation of a 



