134 Correspondence. Ljan] 



and Moerhing's Colymhus is simply Linne's genus of 1748, which he cites, 

 but of course without mention of any species. But so far the origin of 

 Brisson's genus Colymhus is concerned, it is necessary to go back only to 

 Linne's 1758 edition of the 'Systema,' although Mr. Mathews seems to 

 imply otherwise. He says: "Reference to Brisson, Vol. VI, p. 33, does 

 not lead us to conclude that Brisson used Colymhus ex Linne, and on p. 34 

 Brisson calls La Grebe Colymhus .... Now the first reference under that 

 species reads Colymhus Moehr. Avi. Gen. 77, and no mention is made of 

 Linne though ten references are given." This statement is quite true as 

 regards Brisson's cited references under his first species, but it has no 

 material bearing on the point at issue, as shown by the following /ac/s. 



Colymhus Linne, 1758, contained 4 species: (1) arcticus, (2) cristalus, 

 (3) aurilus, (4) podiceps, the first being a loon, the other three grebes. 

 Each of the three grebes are duly cited by Brisson in his Vol. VI, as follows: 

 (1) " Colymbus cristatus. Linn. Systh. [sic] Nat. ed. 10. Gen. 68. sp. 2." 

 p. 46; (2) "Colymbus auritus Linn. Systh. Nat. ed. 10. Gen. 68, sp. 3." 

 p. 50; (4) Colymbus. . . .Podiceps Linn. Systh. Nat. ed. 10. Gen. 68. sp. 

 4." p. 63. Linne's remaining species, arcticus, is cited in the same Volume, 

 p. 115, under Mergus, as: "Colymbus Arcticus Linn. Systh. Nat. ed. 10. 

 Gen. 68. sp. 1." 



Thus Brisson divided Linne's genus Colymbus of 1758 (ed. 10) into two 

 by retaining all the grebes in Colymhus and removing the single species of 

 loon to his genus Mergus (not Mergus Linn., 1758 and 1748) in which he 

 placed all the other loons known to him, thus bringing all the grebes 

 together in one genus and all the loons together in another, for the first time 

 completely separating them as distinct genera. He conserved Linne's 

 generic name Colymbus, in which he retained tliree of the original four 

 species, and made a new genus for the fourth. If this is not subdividing 

 Linne's genus Colymbus, and on the basis of Linne's ed. 10, I fail to 

 understand the meaning of the word subdivide! 



This is only one instance out of 14 where Brisson subdivided Linne's 

 genera in Vols. V and VI of his work on the basis of Linne's ed. 10, which he 

 cites throughout both of these volumes, giving references not only to this 

 edition, but in each case citing the genera and species by numbers as well 

 as by name, in the manner illustrated above under Colymhus, and generally 

 in addition to this quoting Linne's diagnosis in full. These other 13 genera, 

 taking them in the order of Brisson's work, are the following: 



Struthio, divided into 4 genera — Struthio, Rhea, Casuarius, Raphus, the 

 original genus Struthio being conserved in its present modern sense. 



Charadrius, divided into 2 genera — Pluvialis and Himantopus. In this 

 case the original name is replaced by Pluvialis. 



Tringa was divided into 5 genera — Tringa, Vanellus, Arenaria, Glareola, 

 Phalaropus, in this case the original name being conserved. 



Scolopax, divided into 3 genera — Scolopax, Limosa. Numenius, the 

 original name conserved. 



