306 Fleming, Destruction of Whistling Swans. [july 



I see no reason why Columhi'iia griseola Spix = Columhina passerina 

 griseola (Splx), may not be properly taken as the type of Columhina, 

 in accordance with rule d of Art. 30 of the Litemational Code respect- 

 mg the equal availability of species and subspecies as t}'pes. In the 

 latter case the basis is type by tautonymy, in the former type by 

 subsequent designation, where a subspecies of the species that became 

 type by subsequent designation was the originally included form. 

 The A. O. U. Committee on Nomenclature, however, in considermg 

 the case of Columhina, thought that a principle was here involved 

 which might affect other cases, and deemed it best to refer the matter 

 to the International Zoological Commission for decision — a step 

 I heartily approve, and therefore respectfully offer the foregoing 

 exposition as a brief on the chief points at issue. 



THE DESTRUCTION OF WHISTLING SWANS {OLOR 

 COLUMBIANUS) AT NIAGARA FALLS. 



BY JAJNIES H. FLEMING. 



Disasters that so often overtake migrating birds are seldom 

 matters of newspaper interest, but in the present case the birds 

 were so conspicuous and the circumstances so unusual that public 

 interest was aroused by the account in the Buffalo papers of 

 March 17, 1908, of a slaughter of wild swans that took place at 

 Niagara Falls on the 15th. It was stated that 128 birds were taken 

 out of a flock that had been swept over the Falls, and the names 

 of several men who had made the largest bags were given. I was 

 able to get confirmation of the story from Mr. J. S. AVallace who 

 was in touch with friends at Niagara, and on receiving two swans 

 and more details on the 19th, Mr. Wallace and I decided to go to 

 Niagara Falls and get the story at first hand, and the following 

 is as nearly a correct account as it was possible to get. 



On the morning of March 14, 1908, a flock of three or four 

 hundred swans lit in the Upper Niagara River below Grand Island 



