36 



Merriam on the '■Coues Check List and Lexicon.' [January- 



coast of Karatschatka, where this bird is rather common and whence it 

 accidentally visits the said island. It is the Picus major of Kittlitz 

 (Denkwiird. Reise, I, p. 321). 



The greater purity of the white of the lower surface and the greater 

 extent of the same color on the lateral tail-feathers distinguishes this 

 species easily from its allies. In the description of T. cissa Pallas ex- 

 pressly says that the lateral rectrices are white "nigro transversim varie- 

 gatae" and "pectore sordescente." Specimens of Z>. major from Central 

 Europe, the only ones at present accessible to me, have the lateral tail 

 feathers strongly barred, and lack the white spot near the tips of the 

 outer web of the longest primaries. These markings are, however, also 

 found in Dryocopos jafonicics (Seeb.), but the Japanese bird has a very 

 dark lower surface, and transverse markings in all the lateral tail- 

 feathei's ; besides, the Kamtschatkan form has a stouter and longer bill. 



Dryocopos purus is especially conspicuous for the uniform white color 

 on the lateral tail-feathers. In two of the specimens are seen some traces 

 of transverse bars on one or both of the two external feathers, but no 

 traces of similar bars or spot; are found on the two following pairs. 



There is a possibility that the different forms of D. major may be found 

 to intergrate so as to become only races. If that can be proved, the 

 names would stand as Dryocopos major, D. major cissa (Pall.), D. major 

 japo7ticus (Seeb.) and D. major purus. But until this question is satis- 

 factorily settled the above binomial appellation will stand. 



U. S. National Museum, 

 Washington, D. C. 



THE COUES LEXICON OF NORTH AMERICAN 



BIRDS. 



BY AUGUSTUS C. MERRIAM. 



The "Coues Check List and Lexicon of N. A. Birds" (1882) 

 deserves in one of its features some further consideration than 

 appears yet to have been given it. This feature is its philologi- 

 cal treatment of the nomenclature of ornithology. Dr. Coues has 

 here entered upon a field which has long demanded attention. 

 Scientific nomenclature is becoming so vast and so important, and 

 the haphazard way in which much of it has been coined and 

 applied is so provoking, that it imperatively commands from its 

 votaries intelligent and scientific review. Living vernaculars 



