CoUES on the Nomenclature of North American Birds. 101 



inapplicable to this genus, the next in order seems to be Plegadis, Kaup, 

 1829. The American bird has not been satisfactorily shown to differ 

 from the old-world Glossy Ibis. If the White and Red Ibises be judged 

 generically distinct from the Glossy, they become, — 



446. Eudociiuus albus (L.). 



447. Eudocimus ruber (L.). 



464. Aramus pictus (Barlr.) Coues. Whatever may be said for or 

 against taking some of the slightly described species of Bartram's now 

 notorious list, no objection can be urged against certain species fully de- 

 scribed and formally named elsewhere in his work. The Black Vulture, 

 the Wild Turkey, and the present bird are of this category. 



510. Histrionicus minutus (Z.) Coues. My friend, Mr. Dresser, 

 uses the genus Cosvionetta, Kaup, 1829, instead of HiMrionicus, Less., 1828, 

 both being based upon Anas histrionica, L. He discards Lesson's name 

 because it was proposed as a sub-genus only; but surely this furnishes a 

 precedent too dangerous to follow, for to carry it into effect would be 

 to upset hundreds of current names. It is generally conceded that, 

 so far as availability is concerned, subgeneric are at par with generic 

 names, — just as if, were I to make a Falco fuscus vav. brunneus, after- 

 ward determined to be distinct specifically from fiiscus, my name brun- 

 neus would be tenable, notwithstanding some one should have mean- 

 while called it obscurus. The specific name histrionica being taken for 

 the genus, the next in order is minuta, L. Mr. Dresser is " convinced " 

 that minuta, L., is the 9 of the present species, but refrains from using 

 it because of the generic usage he adopts. The term Histrionicus minu- 

 tus actually occurs on Mr. Dresser's page, and I would gladly write his 

 name as the authority for the combination I here adopt, were it not that, 

 as he only uses it to reject it, I am not at liberty to do so. The above 

 name is undesirable, but I see no way to " get around it." 



483, seqq. Branta spp. I fear that some of us have been hasty to fol- 

 low Dr. Bannister in rejecting Bernicln, Steph., for Branta of Scopoli. I 

 have not the work at hand as I write, but I remember once looking it up 

 and concluding that Branta was not available, from defective diagnosis, 

 mixed types, or other cause. 



499. Aix sponsa (L.) Boie. Does the rule for turning Greek 

 alpha iota into Latin require us to emend Boie's genus Aix'? Or is it 

 properly written A'ix, with the diaeresis, and as a dissyllable ? 



505. Clangula glaucium (L ) Brehm. 



506. Clangula islandica (Gm.) Bp. 



507. Clangula albeola {L.) Steph. According to the synonymy as 

 arranged by Dresser in B. Eur., Pt. XLVI, Dec, 1875, the type of Clan- 

 gula, Fleming, 1822, is Anas clangula, L., though Gray's Hand-list says 

 not so. But Gray had a rule about generic types which cannot be carried 

 into practice. The original specific name being taken for the genus, its 

 Linnaean synonym glaucion becomes available, and I do not see why 

 we should not follow Brisson in writing it glaucium. 



