No. 2.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 39 



1914, Mathews gave some notes headed " Some Binary 

 Generic Names," and there indicated some of the confusion 

 that seemed inevitable through the suggested acceptance 

 of " binary " authors. Merula is there mentioned as valid 

 in 1793, but it is suggested it might date from an earlier 

 " binary " writer. We now record its occurrence in this 

 book in 1783 in two guises, and observe it calls for some 

 action so that this ghost may be killed. 



On p. 1 1 the following entry can be seen : — 



" PI. 182. Merle de Montagne. Buff., VI., p. 16. Briss. 

 Ornith., p. 232, pi. XXI., 1. Merula montana Linn. syst. VI." 



Does such an introduction validate the genus-name Merula ? 

 In the Vlth Edition of Linne's Syst. Nat., published in 1748, 

 the third species under Turdus (p. 29) is cited as " Merula 

 montana Fn. 186." At this date Linne was obviously 

 non-binomial, though absolutely binary. It has been decided 

 by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 

 that the mere citation of a pre-Linnean name does not give 

 it a legal status. Is the present case a mere citation ? It 

 appears to us to be so and a considered judgment is needed, 

 as by accepting the present introduction as valid we can 

 fix the genus-name Merula to the species Turdus torquatus ; 

 if we reject this proposal, as seems just, on p. 16 we meet 

 with — 



"PI. 258. Breve de Bengale Buff. VI., p. 123.3. Merle 

 vert de Bengale Briss. Ornith., II., p. 316. Merula (Corvus) 

 Brachyurus Linn. Gen. 50.15, short-tailed Crow Lath., hirds 

 I., p. 398." 



This citation cannot possibly be disregarded as there are 

 no flaws in this. Here we see a direct and correct proposal 

 of Merula for the bird classed by Linne in Corvus. This 

 means that Merula would displace Pitta, a most undesirable 

 alteration. We are not, at present, making this change, 

 but unless a decision is soon arrived at in connection with 

 " binary " generic names, even more undesirable innovations 

 may become unavoidable. 



