1919-] On the Birds of the Canary Islands. 291 



XVI. — List of the Birds of the Cnnar)/ Islands, vnth detailed 

 reference to the Migrator;/ Species and the Accident a/ 

 Visitors. Part II. Tukdid^ — HiRUNDiNiDi*:. By David 

 A. Bannermax, M.B.E., B.A., M.B.O.U., F.R.G.S. 



[Continued from p. 131.] 



Family Turdid/E. 



Turdns philomelus philomelus. Continental Song-Tlirnsli. 



(= Tardus niasicus auctoruni.) '■'' 



I'urdus p/iitomelos Bvelim, Handb. Naturg. Viio. Deutsclil. 

 1831, p. 382— Type locality : Middle Germany. 



The Continental Song-Thrush is a regnlar Winter Visitor 

 to the Canary Islands. There is but little doubt that all 



* It must be borne in mind that every single author up to the 

 present who has written on the Canarian birds has referred to the Song- 

 Thrush as Turdns musicus. Those ornithologists who follow the 

 example of tlie P.. O. U. Committee and conserve tiie name musicics for 

 the Song-Thrush must then, however, call tlie bird which visits the 

 Canary Islands in winter Turdns mmicvs vinsicns, i. e. the Continental 

 Song-Thrush. I entirely agreo witii the Committee who compiled the 

 list that considerable confusion will doubtless arise by transferring the 

 name T. Jiiustais to the Redwing and bestowing Brehm's name, T. p/iito- 

 melus, on to the Song-Thrush (B. O. U. List, 1915, pp. 365, 366) ; but 

 confusion will arise in any case — and, in fact, has arisen — as several of our 

 leading systematic ornithologists have already accepted the changes. 

 If we are to be consistent in nomenclature, I can see no help for it but to 

 reject the nomina conservanda proposed (B. O. U. List, 1915, p. 355) 

 and to accept the drastic changes which have become necessary under 

 the Rules of Nomenclature as drawn up by the International Congress 

 of Zoology. The best way to attain uniformity is for the younger 

 generation of ornithologists to accept ail these changes quickly, dis- 

 agreeable as many of them undoubtedly are. Confusion need not arise 

 if for several years to come systematic ornithologists will only state 

 very carefully in their publications exactly which species they mean 

 by Turdiis musicus, Turdits j^tiilomelus, Turdus iliacns, etc. In this 

 " transition-stage " of nomenclature no other course is open to working 

 ornithologists who wish to avoid the confusion which would inevitablv 

 ensue if they referred to Turdus iliacus without any further explanation. 

 The original reference alone is now not sufficient. 



