LESTKIDINiE JAEGEES. 603' 



Subgenus Buphagus, (Moeh.) Cones. 



= Bupliagus* Moeh., Gen. Av. 1752, No. 71 ; typus Larus catarraetes, Linn.— CoTJES, Eev. 



Lestridince, in Pr. A. N. S. Phila. May 1863, p. 1-20. 

 <^Stercoi-arius, "Bkiss. ;" Vieili,., Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 1817, 153; typus idem. (Sed 



non verus Slercorariun, Briss. ; cujus typus Larus parasiticus, Linu.). — Gray, 



Gen. of B. iii, 1849, 651.— Degl., Orn. Eur. 1849, ii, 287.— Bp., Con.sp. At. lco(i, 



206.— Lawr., Baird's Birds N. A. 18.38, 8j8. 

 <C Catharacta, BrOsn., Orn. Bor. 1764, 32 ; typus Catharacia skua, Briiun. 

 < Gataracta, Bp., Comp. List, 1838, 63. 

 ^Lancs (partim), Linn., Syst. Nat. i, 1766.— Gmel., Syst. Nat. 1788.— Lath., Ind. Orn. 



1790 — Mey. & Wolf, Tasch. 1810. 

 <; Catarraetes, Pall., Zoog. Eosso-As. ii, 1811, 308 ; typus C. skua. — Steph., Sbaw's Gen. 



Zool. xiii, 1825, 214. 

 <^Lestris, "III.;" Temm, Man. Orn. 1820-40; typus L. catarraetes (Sed non verus 



Lestris, 111. ; cujus tvpus L. parasitica, Linn.). — Faber, Pr. Isl. Orn. 1822. — 



Less., Traits d'Ornith. 1831.— Keys. & Blas., Wirb. Eur. i, 1840, 239 ; et auct. al. 

 — Megalestris, Bp., Consp. Av. ii, 1856, p. 206 ; typus Larus catarraetes, Linn. 



Gen. char. Bill shorter than the middle toe without the cla-sv ; exceedingly robust ; 

 width at base about equal to the height, which is a third of the length of culmen. 

 Striai and sulci numerous and well marked. Encroachment of feathers on bill moder- 

 ate, and nearly the same on both mandibles. Occiput scarcely crested. Wings only 

 moderately long for this subfamily ; the primaries very broad, and rounded at their 

 tips. Tail very short, broad, nearly even, the feathers truncated ; central pair project- 

 ing but little, and broad to their very tips, which are also truncated. Feet large 

 and stout ; tarsi shorter than the middle toe and claw. Size large ; form robust and 

 heavy; general organization very powerful. Colors much the same over the whole 

 body ; not subject to any very remarkable changes with age, sex, or season. 



The essential characters lie in the large size and strong form, exceedingly robust 

 bill and feet, the middle toe of which latter is longer than the tarsus ; and in the very 

 short truncated tail, the broad central rectrices of which project but slightly beyond 

 the tips of the others. A discrepancy between it and Stereorarius is found in the changes 

 of plumage to which it is subject. These are slight, being chiefly of intensity, and have 

 little in common with the widely varying stages for which the species of Stereorarius 

 are noted. Its species when adult are of nearly uniform colors, presenting no indica- 

 tions of the trenchant lines of division of light and dark areas which are found in 

 Stereorarius. North America contains a single representative of the genus, B. skua, 

 referred by most authors to Stereorarius. 



The synonyms of this subgenus require to be considered at length and with care, to 

 avoid confounding them with those of the succeeding, with which they always have been 

 to a greater or less degree mingled. The first distinctive appellation of the genus in ques- 

 tion appears to be Bupliagus, Moeh. 17.52. This is unquestionably based upon the Larus 

 catarraetes of Linnaeus, and the diagnosis of the genus (vide infr^t) is as definite and 

 pertinent as perhaps any one throughout Moehring's work. This being the case, it is 

 a little singular that the name has not come into general employ, along with such gen- 

 era as Philomachus, Collyrio, Trogon, &c., which have, by Gray, I5aird, Cassin, Bryant, 

 and other authors, been accorded that precedence to which their early date entitles 

 them. The rule generally acknowledged by authors, which would cause the adoption 

 of the genera of Moehring and other pre-Linnoean writers, provided they are identified 

 and do not conflict with Linnjeus' titles, does not appear to have been adhered to in 

 this instance. But if we are to be guided by the law ot p^-iority, and are to accord jus- 

 tice to a pre-Linntean writer, we cannot avoid the adoption of Moehring's name ; since 

 there is no Linnwan appellation with which it conflicts, as the latter author ranged all 

 the Jaegers known to him under Larus. Moehring's not being a binomalist, or rather 

 his not dealing at all with species, can have no weight in the question of the adoption 



* In the synonymy of this article I use the convenient signs introduced by Strick- 

 land to indicate the relative value of the various generic names quoted. Being not in 

 general use, they will require explanation. The sign of equality signifies that the 

 word before which it stands was originally employed in the same sense as here meant; 

 thus, Supliagus and Megalestris are based upon the same type as Bupliagus of the pres- 

 ent paper, and are therefore coequal with it. The sign <[ indicates that the name be- 

 fore wlaich it stands was originally used in a more extended sense than is here meant, 

 and must consequently be restricted to become completely synonymous Tlius, Catli- 

 araeta of Briinnich, included, besides C. skua, pomarinus and parasiticus. TJie sign ]> 

 is the converse of the last. 



t Moehring, Genera avium, l'<52, page 66, No. 71. '•Rostrum postice rectum, membrana 

 callosa ad uares usque tectum, versus apicem incurvum, lateribiis compressis. Femora 

 extra abdomen. Digiti antici tres membraua intermedia to ti coba;rentes, ijostious liber." 



