Zi.4: Todd, The Genus Eupsychorhjx. [April 



are not necessarily subspecies, as some ornithologists of note 

 would have us believe. It has long been the opinion of the writer 

 that the mere fact (known or assumed) of the intergradation of 

 two given forms should not of itself militate against their being 

 considered distinct specifically, provided that the degree and 

 character of the differences between them are such as to other- 

 wise justify such standing. All the circumstances bearing on 

 each individual case must be taken into consideration in attempt- 

 ing to reach a decision, and to be blindly governed by a single 

 criterion is inevitably to go astray. The recent paper by Dr. 

 Jonathan Dwight on the genus Junco (cf. Bulletin American 

 Museum of Natural History, XXXVIII, pp. 269-309), considered 

 as a protest against the current practice of reducing all inter- 

 grading forms to subspecific rank, is interesting and suggestive. 



It remains to add that the present form was provisionally 

 described as a subspecies of E. cristatus, being compared with 

 mainland specimens of that form, which were incorrectly assumed 

 to represent horvathi. 



Specimens examined. — Colombia: Bonda, 4; Cacagualito, 1; 

 Mamatoco, 9; Gaira, 2; Santa Marta, 2. Total, 18. 



Eupsychortyx cristatus cristatus (Linnaeus). 



Plate V, figure 8. 



"Caille Hupee du Mexique" Brisson, Orn., I, 1760, 260, pi. 25, fig. 2, 

 excl. syn. ("Guiana and Mexico"; descr.). — D'Aubenton, PI. Enlum., 

 1770-86, No. 126. 



Tetrao cristatus Linn.eus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, I, 1766, 277, excl. syn. part 

 (ex Brisson; diag.). — Gmelin, Syst. Nat., II, ii, 1788, 765, excl. syn. 

 part (diag.; references). 



"Crested Quail" Latham, Gen. Syn. Birds, II, ii, 1783, 784, excl. syn. 

 part ("Guiana and Mexico"; descr.). — Latham, Gen. Hist. Birds, VIII, 

 1823, 329, excl. syn. part (descr.; references). 



Perdix cristata Latham, Index Orn., II, 1790, 652, excl. syn. part (diag.; 

 range; references). — Temminck, Hist. Nat. et Gen. Pigeons et Gal- 

 linaces, III, 1815, 446 (descr.; habits), 736, excl. syn. part (diag.; refer- 

 ences).— Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., XXV, 1817, 247 (descr.; 

 habits). — Ktthl, Buffoni et Daubentoni figurarum avium Coloratarum 

 Nomina Systematica, 1820, 3 (D'Aubenton's plate). — Lesson, Traite 

 d'Orn., 1831, 508 (in list of species; range). 



