°893 X ] Trumbull on the Scoters. l6c 



Suborder Family Genera Species 



, ( Chionarchus -c C. minor. 



Chionides I Chionidicke -J Jr 



I Chionis | C. alba. 



Such a suborder would probably stand between my suborder 

 Longipennes and the suborder Limicolae, and there probably 

 would be added to the Chionididae, the three other families 

 Dromadidae, Attagidaa, and Thinocorythidae. But with what I 

 know of the osteology of Chionis minor and of Hcematopus, and 

 not having examined the entire structure of any of the three fami- 

 lies first named, such a proposal must be considered wholly 

 provisional. A knowledge of the entire morphology of all these 

 forms is something very much to be desired. 



OUR SCOTERS. 



BY G. TRUMBULL. 



In an article under the above title printed in 'The Auk ' of 

 April, 1S92, I called attention to numerous errors which had 

 appeared concerning our representatives of the genus Oidejnia. 

 It was my intention at the time to continue the list of such errors 

 in this second (and in a third) article, but I abandon the idea. 

 Such a continuance would occupy altogether too much space. 

 I give the facts which I have ascertained, with only occasional 

 reference to the failures of former accounts. 



Though difficult to conceive how some of the mistakes ever 

 crept into print, it is easy to imagine how others occurred, viz., 

 by the absence of fresh specimens ; by compiling, with phrase- 

 ologic variation, from earlier accounts of more or less credibility ; 

 by studying faulty pictures ; by mistaking immaturity for ma- 

 turity ; by unhappy inferences; and by a desire, latent or active 

 in us all, to appear at least a little wiser, a little more experi- 

 enced than we really are. 



