82 General Notes. [JJ 



37 on the Columbia River and sent by him to Audubon for publication 

 in the ' Birds of America.' 



When Audubon received the first specimens of this bird he considered 

 it identical with the Mourning Warbler of the East, notwithstanding 

 that Townsend regarded it as distinct, and not having published a plate 

 of the latter species he drew one from these western specimens and 

 issued it with the title Sylvia Philadelphia. 



Upon Townsend's return he demonstrated to Audubon that the two 

 birds were distinct and a drawing of the eastern species was thereupon 

 published, also (this time correctly) entitled Sylvia Philadelphia. 



The fifth volume of Audubon's ' Ornithological Biography,' which 

 appeared soon after, contained the accounts of the two species, the western 

 one being described as new under the name of Sylvia macgillivrayi. 



Townsend meantime prepared his 'Journal' for publication and in the 

 appendix included a list of the birds found by him in the West, and 

 descriptions of such as had not already been described by Audubon. 



Among the latter was this Warbler which he called Sylvia Tolmiei, 

 after W. F. Tolmie an officer of the Hudson Bay Company whose 

 acquaintance he had made at Fort Vancouver. 



Townsend supposed that Audubon would use this name, as he had 

 indicated it on the specimens that he had sent him, and he was much 

 annoved to find that he had substituted Sylvia macgillivrayi for it, 

 claiming at the same time that his own name tolmiei had priority '. 



This claim has not been recognized in late years, but investigation shows 

 that Townsend's 'Journal' was issued and received at the Philadelphia 

 Academy by April 16, 1839, while Audubon's fifth volume was not 

 received at the London Athenaeum until June 22 of the same year, and 

 did not of course reach America until later still. 



These facts show that Townsend's name has clear priority, and in the 

 interests of accuracy and justice it is a satisfaction to make the correction. 



Macgillivray's Warbler should therefore stand in our list as Geolhlypis 

 tolmiei; whether or not the common name shall also be changed to Tol- 

 mie's Warbler we shall leave to the judgment of the A. O. U. Committee. 

 — Witmer Stone, Acad. Nat. Sciences, Philadelphia. 



Sprague's Pipit near New Orleans, La. — On Nov. 24, 189S, I found in 

 the drier parts of a favorite Snipe field, across the Mississippi from 

 New Orleans, five Sprague's Pipits (Authus spragueii): I had found them, 

 as had also Messrs. Pring, Kopman, and W. B. Allison, in the vicinity of the 

 city before, but these were the first I had seen for some years, and were 

 earlier than any noted in former years. I flushed the birds repeatedly, 

 shot one, a female, and had excellent opportunities for watching their 



Jour. A. N. S. Phila. VIII, 1839, p. 159. 



