OUZ Correspondence. LJuly 



D wight has termed "the exaltation of the subspecies" and to prevent 

 exact reference in English to a subdivided species without awkward cir- 

 cumlocution. Mr. P. A. Taverner, who has applied the principle of this 

 proposition to the names used in his recent ' Birds of Eastern Canada, ' 

 suggests the extension of "Palm Warbler" to indicate the entire species 

 and the adoption of the name "Interior Palm Warbler" for D. p. palm- 

 arum, which is a fair example of the type of changes which would be brought 

 about by the acceptance of the proposition. 



Proposition 2. Clumsy descriptive names shall not be introduced and, 

 where such are already authorized, they shall be replaced by appropriate 

 shorter names. 



This is but an expression of a tendency which has long been apparent. 

 "Blue Yellow-backed Warbler" has given place to "Parula Warbler," 

 "Bay-winged Grass Bunting" has yielded to "Vesper Sparrow," and we 

 are well satisfied with the changes; why should not "Black-throated 

 Green Warbler" be discarded in favor of "Vee Warbler, ""Canada Spar- 

 row" be substituted for "White-throated Sparrow," and similar changes 

 take place where needed throughout the 'Check-List?' The acceptance of 

 Proposition 2 would render much more satisfactory the application of 

 Proposition 1. 



Proposition 3. Adjectival parts of names which give a whody erroneous 

 idea of the bird named shall be replaced by others more in keeping with the 

 known facts. 



There does not appear to be any reason for retaining "Connecticut" 

 Warbler, "Nashville Warbler, "Tree" Sparrow, and other poorly chosen 

 terms, except the fact that they are now in use. Appropriate names 

 authorized in these cases by the 'Check-List' would quickly become current 

 and supplant the misnomers. 



Proposition 4. The name of a human being shall not be used as the Eng- 

 lish-language name of a bird, and any such names at present authorized 

 shall be replaced by other appropriate terms. 



Even the coining of scientific names from the names of men is a yielding 

 to human weakness which can be justified, if at all, only on the ground 

 that a name is a name only and does not necessarily mean anything. 

 This justification is not applicable to English-language names, each of 

 which should mean much about the species to which it appertains. In 

 the case of many existing bird names derived from human names there is 

 no pretense of a real connection between the bird and the particular 

 human being for whom it is named, but in any case the connection be- 

 tween a short-lived human individual and a species whose life is of indefi- 

 nitely great duration must be relatively so small as to afford no sound 

 basis for attempting to give the species in perpetuity the name of the indi- 

 vidual. "Wilson's Thrush" has been happily replaced by "Veery"; 

 why cannot "Wilson's Warbler" be bettered? 



