1SS4.I RuxiWAY OH liiilco coopcii Cass. 2 Cj 7 



characterize a particular phase of plumage in the adult of A. 

 (7^r/ra/>////fs proper, and also that the name is somewhat inappro- 

 priate when applied, exclusively to the form, under consideration ; 

 but a proper regard for the rules whicli tend most to the stability 

 of nomenclature will not admit of a name being discarded on 

 account of inappropriateness. 



It is due Mr. Nelson to state that he bestowed the name /len- 

 s/iazvi under tiie impression, which I at the time shared with 

 him, that a new title was necessary; in fact, I had myself trans- 

 ferred striatiiliis to the list of synonyms of atricapiUus. 



ON THE POSSIBLE SPECIFIC IDENTITY OF 



BUTEO COOPERI CASS. WITH B. 



HARLANI (AUD.). 



BY ROBERT RIDGWAY. 



The type of Buteo cooperi Cass, was obtained by Dr. J. G. 

 Cooper at Santa Clara California, in November, 1855, and the 

 supposed new species described by Mr. Cassin in October of the 

 following year (Proc. Philad. Acad. Sci., VIII, Oct. iS^6, p. 

 253). Since that time but one additional specimen has been 

 taken, the one in question having been procured in Colorado, b}- 

 Mr. C. E. Aiken, to whose courtesy I am indebted for the oppor- 

 tunity of examining it. A description of this specimen, with 

 measurements, was prepared and sent, in 1S75, to the 'American 

 Naturalist' for publication, but I am informed never reached its des- 

 tination, having probably been lost in the mails. The specimen 

 was returned soon afterward, and I am therefore without memo- 

 randa respecting it, except measurements, which fortunatelv were 

 preserved.* According to my recollection, however, the Colo- 

 rado specimen agreed prett}- closely with the tvpe, except in the 

 color of the primaries, which were marked much like those of ^. 

 borealis and B. harlani; that is, instead of being uniform hoarj- 

 grayish on the outer webs, they were more brownish, and dis- 

 tinctlv marked with dusky quadrate spots. Both specimens differ 

 conspicuouslv from any plumage of B . borealis in liaving the 



* I am informed by Mr. Henshaw that this specimen is still, or was recentl}', in Mr 

 Aiken's possession. 



