Vol. XVII 
1900 
General Notes. 173 
Virginias’ in the hypothetical list. It was definitely recorded from 
Smith’s Island, Northampton County, by Mr. Edw. J. Brown, who secured 
three specimens between May 14 and 28, 1894. 
The present note is, we believe, the first definitely recorded instance of 
the species for Virginia in autumn. The specimen secured is a female. 
— WILi1AM C. BRAIsLIN, M. D., Brooklyn, N. VY. 
A Further Note on the Specific Name of Falco regulus. — Since the 
tentative proposal to change the specific designation of this species (Auk, 
April, 1899, p. 182), both the references to supposed earlier names have 
been verified and their status determined. One of these names, Accif7ter 
mertllus Gerini (Orn. Meth. Dig. 1767, I, 51, pli. xviii, xix) is, under pres- 
ent rules, untenable, for Gerini is clearly not a binomialist, as is disclosed 
by even a casual examination of his volumes. Since the other name, 
Falco esalon Tunstall (Orn. Brit., 1771, p. 1), proves to be a nomen 
nudum, the Merlin apparently must continue to stand as Falco regulus.— 
Harry C. OBERHOLSER, Washington, D. C. 
The Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker in Beverly, Mass. — On January 
21, 1899, I observed a pair (male and female) of the Arctic Three-toed 
Woodpecker (Pcordes americanus) in the white-pine clumps of Beverly 
Commons; the female busily chiselling for grubs in a fallen trunk. She 
seemed wary, but hungry enough to allow of approach within twelve or 
fifteen feet, and continuous observation for ten minutes. With a good 
field-glass I could trace the passage of the grub when gulped down her 
gullet. She chiselled with great rapidity and skill, making the chips fly 
vigorously. The male meanwhile was perfectly quiet on a neighboring 
living trunk; so that his presence was unsuspected till the female, finally 
scared, flew to his tree and disturbed him into motion. Both then 
bounded off through the air with whirr of wings, the female leading. 
This record must be pretty far south for this species, especially in such a 
mild and open winter. Both birds were sleek and plump.— REGINALD C. 
Rospsins, Boston, Mass. 
The earliest name for the Roadrunner. — A recent note on the early his- 
tory of the Roadrunner (Auk, Jan. 1900, 66) by the late Dr. Coues, sug- 
gests a point bearing on the proper name tor the species. It is more than 
probable that Lesson’s term cadl/forniana (1829) should be replaced by 
longicauda of Swainson (1824), but this isa matter which cannot at present 
be satisfactorily determined. On reference to Swainson’s ‘ Classification of 
Birds,’ II, 1837, 325, it will be noted that he quotes ‘‘ LZ. longicauda Sw. 
(1824)” under the genus Lefftostoma. Now, the name longicauda, for this 
Cuckoo does not occur in any accessible work of Swainson’s of the year 
1824, but it will almost certainly be found in his ‘ Appendix’ to Bullock’s 
Catalogue of his [Bullock’s] Mexican Museum, published in that year. 
This work is so scarce that, apparently, no copy is now accessible to orni- 
