"^°1908^^] Allen, Columhina vs. Chcemepelio. 305 



species, so far as the name itself is concerned, his Colmnbina griseola 

 was really only a new name for passerina, as 'passerina was under- 

 stood down to 1854, or for 29 years later, and at best represents only a 

 slight geographic form of true passerina as at present restricted. A 

 year later Gray recognized both Columhina and Choemepelia as dis- 

 tinct genera, with Columbina streptans Spix as the t}^e of Columhina 

 and Coluviha passerina as the t}^e of Choemepelia, strepiians beirg 

 only Colnmha picui of Temminck renamed. 



In 1854 Bonaparte retained Choemepelia (emending the name to 

 Chamoepelia) and proposed three other genera based wholly or in 

 part on species originally included in Columhina, namely: Talpacotia, 

 to include C. cabocolo Spix (which is talpacofi Temm. renamed); 

 Columhula, based solely on C. strepiians Spix, to which he referred 

 Columbina Spix as a synonym; and Uropelia, with C. campestris 

 Spix as its sole species. Talpacotia is now currently treated as a 

 synonym of Choemepelia; Columhula is at present currently recognized 

 as a monotA^^ic genus, to which Columbina is still referred as a syn- 

 onym; Uropelia is also still monotypic, and universally recognized. 

 It thus happens that the four original species of Columbina are iiow 

 dispersed among three universally recognized genera, all founded 

 later than Columbina (Choemepelia, 1827; Columbula, 1854; Uropelia, 

 1854), while Columbina, without adequate reason, has been retired 

 from modern nomenclatiu'e. 



The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Article 30, 

 rule d) provides that "If a genus, without originally designated or 

 indicated type, contains among the original species one possessing the 

 generic name as its specific or suhspecific name, either as valid name 

 or synonym,, that species or subspecies becomes ipso facto type of the 

 genus." By a parallel ruling on the equal availability of species and 

 subspecies as types of genera, the proper type of Columhina would be 

 Columba passerina Linn, subsp. griseola Spix, under the trinomial 

 refinement of modem nomenclature. Columhina would replace 

 Choemepelia, and Columhula would be left undisturbed. If Colum- 

 hina griseola be thrown out as not available as t}ipe of Columbina, 

 and Gray's second t^i^e designations for Choemepelia and Columhina 

 be recognized as valid, then strepitans would be type of Columhina, 

 Columbina would replace Columbula, and passerina would be the 

 type of Chcemepelia. But does the law of priority pei-mit us to ignore 

 Gray's first t}'Y>e designations for these two genera ? 



