43 6 



Recent Literature. [^ t k 



the list of Perkins and Howe, published in 1901. A few pages of further 

 useful and pertinent information conclude this useful little manual. — J. 

 A. A. 



Oberholser on the Nomenclature of Certain Genera of Birds. l — Sev- 

 enteen generic names and a few specific names are here held to require 

 change, the specific names belonging to genera here treated. The first 

 name considered is Bellona Mulsant & Verreaux (1866), which, as Mr. 

 Riley (Auk, 1904, p. 75) recently pointed out, is preoccupied by Bellona 

 Reichenbach, 1852. Instead, however, of requiring a new name, as 

 claimed by Riley, it may be replaced by Orthorkynchus Lacepede, 1799, 

 for which the type was fixed by Gray in 1840 as Trockilus cristatus Linn. 

 We agree with Mr. Oberholser that Orthorkynchus is the proper name for 

 this genus of West Indian hummingbirds, for which it was formerly 

 for many years in current use. Consequently Riley's substitution of 

 Orthorkynchus for Chrysolampis, and of Chrysolampis for Eulatnpis are 

 uncalled for and the hitherto current names of these genera remain 

 unchanged. Mr. Riley's effort is cited by Mr. Oberholser as a "forcible 

 illustration of the difficulty and unsatisfactory nature of generic type 

 determinations by elimination." As we have said elsewhere (Science, N. 

 S., XXI, p. 431, March 17, 1905) : "The results will vary somewhat with 

 the experience and qualifications of the user of the method, if the condi- 

 tions of the question are especially complicated and perplexing . . . .", 

 while "experts in such cases rarely reach different conclusions . . . ." 



" Dromceus Vieillot " is shown to be properly Dromiceius, the form 

 first used by Vieillot, who did not use Drommus ; Hydrornis Milne- 

 Edwards, being preoccupied, is replaced by Dyspetornis, nom. nov. ; 

 Na^nia Boie, being preoccupied, a substitute is found in Inca Jardine ; 

 Gnathosittaca Cabanis, being preoccupied, is replaced by Ognorhynchus 

 Gray; an earlier name for Dasyftilus Wagler is found in Psittrickas 

 Lesson ; Nanodes Vig. & Horsf., being preoccupied, a substitute is 

 found in Eupkema Wagler; Skarpia Bocage being preoccupied, and 

 there being no available substitute, it is replaced by Notiospiza, nom. 

 nov. ; similarly, Malacopteron Eyton is replaced by Horizillas, nom. nov.; 

 Hedymela Sundevall is antedated by Ficedula Brisson ; Chenorhamphus 

 Oustelet, being preoccupied, is replaced by Conopotheras, nom. nov. ; 

 Charitospiza is a new name for the South American genus formerly 

 known as Tiaris, containing the Frtngilla ornata Wied; this specific 

 name being preoccupied is changed to eucosma, nom. nov. 



The status of four other names — Xiphorhynchus, Vertnivora, Cotur- 



1 Notes on the Nomenclature of Certain Genera of Birds. By Harry C. 

 Oberholser. Smithsonian Misc. Coll., Quarterly Issue, Vol. Ill, pp, 59-68. 

 May 13, 1905. 



