Vol. XXII 

 •9°5 



Allen, Status of Certain Stvaitisonian Genera. A.OI 



group hitherto currently recognized under the name Xiphorhym- 

 chus, resulting in a change of the generic name of nearly fifty 

 species and subspecies. Vermivora is made to replace Helmin- 

 thophila. In respect to Tiaris, he follows Dr. Richmond in 

 replacing it with Euetheia Reichenbach, 1850, and the group to 

 which Tiaris has of late been restricted he renames C/iaritospiza. 

 Ammodramiis is transferred to the group usually known as Cotur- 

 niculus, and Ammodramiis is replaced by the new name Ammo- 

 spiza Oberholser, for the A. 7naritimns-catidaattus group. 



For such startling revolutions in nomenclature there should be 

 the best of reasons. In determining whether such have been 

 given, the facts in the case may be first stated, as follows : In 

 the year 1827, Swainson published two papers on birds of far- 

 reaching importance in their bearing on nomenclature, and which 

 must be considered together. Unfortunately, through circum- 

 stances wholly beyond the control of the author, the paper writ- 

 ten last was published first, greatly to the author's regret and 

 disgust, as will presently appear. It is this transposition in the 

 order of publication which gives Mr. Oberholser his excuse for 

 overturning the long-accepted status of the four generic names 

 above-cited. 



The first of these two papers, in the order of preparation, is 

 entitled 'On Several 'Groups and Forms in Ornithology, not 

 hitherto defined.' In this paper 64 genera are either redefined 

 or named and characterized as new, and for 58 of them a type 

 or types (usually a single type) is explicitly designated. 



The second paper is entitled ' A Synopsis of the Birds dis- 

 covered in Mexico by W. Bullock, F. L. S. and H. S., and Wil- 

 liam Bullock, Jr.,' in which the birds contained in the Bullock 

 Collection were enumerated, the species supposed to be new were 

 described, and the generic names proposed in the first paper, so 

 far as they relate to Mexican birds, were employed. 



The first paper was published in the ' Zoological Journal,' Vol. 

 Ill, 1827-1828, and appeared in two parts, the first part (pp. 

 158-175) in the ' April-July ' issue (1827), and the second part 

 (pp. 343-363) in the 'August-November' issue (1827). The 

 exact date of publication is not known, but the two parts may 

 presumably be citable respectively as July, 1827, and November, 



