Allen on the Ornithological Fauna of North America. 87 



known for recognition ; the others are simply European sti'agglers 

 that have once or twice occurred in Greenland. On the other hand, 

 6 species are given by Coues that are omitted \iy Baird, Brewer, and 

 Ridgway, in nearly every case from their being considered by the 

 latter as extra-limital. These authors, therefore, substantially agree 

 in regard to the number of species admitted in both works as prop- 

 erly North American, the only difference being in respect to the 

 status of 9 species, 5 forms treated as species by Baird, Brewer, and 

 Ridgway being allotted varietal rank by Coues, while, on the other 

 hand, 4 of Coues's species are similarly treated by Baird, Brewer, 

 and Ridgway. In regard to " varieties " the disagreement is some- 

 what greater, there being 23 in Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's work 

 not given by Coues, while 7 are admitted by the latter that are not 

 included by the former. It thus appears that Baird, Brewer, and 

 Ridgway admit 9 more species and 14 more varieties of Land Birds 

 than are recognized by Dr. Coues. 



In concluding this hasty retrospect it may be observed that the 

 change in the status of the general subject from 1858 to 1874 con- 

 sists in the reduction to synonyms of a comparatively small number 

 of species admitted in 1858 ; the exclusion of a rather larger nvimber 

 as extra-limital, and the treatment of about one sixth of the remain- 

 der as subspecies or " varieties." The change is thus mainly one of 

 nomenclature, due to the better understanding of the relationships 

 of closely allied forms, made more clearly evident by the increase 

 of material for their investigation. 



The species of Land Birds wholly cancelled or reduced to syno- 

 nyms are the following, the numbers being those designating the 

 species in Baird's " List " of 1858. 



6. Falco nigriceps. 215. Myiodioctes bonapartii. 



19. Buteo bairdi. 259. ? Harporhynchus vetula. 



24. Buteo montanus. 272. Troglodytes americanus. 



30. Archibuteo lagopus.* 291. Parus occidentalis. 



41. Haliaetus washingtoni. 329. Plectrophanes melanomus. 



56, Nyctale albifrons. 351. Junco dorsalis. 



59. Athene cunicularia.* 424. Corvus cacalotl. 



66. Crotophaga rugirostris. 440. Cyanocitta sordida. 



88. Sphyropicus williamsoni. 470. Lagopus americanus. 

 98a. Colaptes hybridus. 



* As regards their being North American in the sense in which they were 

 then recognized as such. 



