96 CouES on the Nomenclature, oj North American Birds. 



115. Cotile riparia (L.) Boie. In Isis, 1822, p. 550, Boie originally 

 wrote Cotile, afterward changed to Cotyle (Isis, 1826). Most of us have 

 supposed the latter to he correct, as if the Greek Korvkq, and so it is almost 

 universally written. (See B. C. V., p. 370.) Now it appears we have 

 been wrong. There is the Greek KoiTiKas, a swallow, from KwrtXAco, to 

 prattle or twitter, from which doubtless Boie's genus, as originally spelled, 

 is derived. (The point is said to be discussed in the last, or a late, number 

 of the Ibis ; but I have not seen the article ) 



196. Passerina ciris (L.) Gray. 



197. Passerina versicolor (Bp.) Gray. 



198. Passerina amcBna {Say) Gray. 



199. Passerina cyanea (L.) Gray. The genus Cyanospiza, Bd., 1858, 

 is given in Gray's Hand-list, II, p. 97, as synonymous with Passerina, 

 Vieill., 1816. This is correct. The type of Passerina, Vieill., as given 

 in the Analyse, 1816, p. 30, is " Le Ministre " of Buffon. On turning 

 to BufFon, Hist. Nat. Ois., 4to ed., Vol. IV, 1778, p. 86, we find " Le 

 Ministre " described by Montbrillard at second hand, the references being 

 to Brisson and Catesby. Looking up Brisson, HI, 1760, p. 13, we see 

 that " Le Ministre" is his " Tangara bleu de la Caroline," Tangara 

 carolinensis ca^rulea, also described at second hand, the reference being to 

 Catesby. Finally, consulting Catesby, I, p. 45, pi. 45, we find that he 

 describes and figures a " Blue Linnet," which is the " Indigo Bird," 

 Cyanospiza cyanea, Bd. It is true that Vieillot later expanded his 

 genus (in the Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat.) to cover a miscellaneous assort- 

 ment of Fringillidce and Icteridce, but this does not affect his original 

 establishment of the genus upon the Indigo Bird. It is also a fact that 

 there is a prior Passerina in botany ; but this does not preclude its use in 

 zoology. 



To the above species of Passerina are to be added P. leclanclieri (Lafr.) 

 Gray, and P. rositce (Lawr.) Coues. 



149. Astragaliuus tristis (L.) Cab. 



160. Astragalinus la-wrencii (Cass.) Coues. 



151. Astragalinus psaltria (Say) Coues. 



151a. Astragalinus psaltria arizonae, Coues. 



151 J. Astragalinus psaltria mexicanus (Siv.) Coues. In the exces- 

 sive generic subdivision which is now in vogue I find it necessary to restrict 

 Chrysomitris, Boie, to C. spinus and its strict American congener, C. pinus, 

 and to take Astragalinus, Cab., for trisfis and its allies. Messrs. Baird and 

 Ridgway did the same thing, in effect, in 1874, but by some oversight 

 reversed the names, transferring ^.s^ra^aZmus to pinus, and Chrysomitris to 

 tristis (Hist. N. A. B., I, pp. 470, 471). But the type of Astragalinus is 

 tristis, and that of Chrysomitris is supposed to be spinus. In defending my 

 separation of the two genera, I may say that, if any one will compare 

 Carduelis elegans, Chrysomitris spinus, and Astragalinus tristis, he will find 

 as much difference between the second and third of these as between the 



