246 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Apkil 28, 1881. 



%ntnm\ Jjiiptorg. 



NEW CATALOGUE OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



MR. RIDGWAYS' paper on the nomenclature of North 

 American birds is by far the most important of the 

 shorter ornithological works that has appeared in this coun- 

 try for many years. It is a complete revision of the last 

 Smithsonian List, published in 1859, and is brought down, as 

 nearly as such a work ever can be, to date. 



Three catalogues of the birds of Nortli America have been 

 issued previous to the one now before us, and of these the 

 only one which has bad any general circulation even among 

 ornithologists is that of 1850, which was based upon the work 

 of Baird, Cassin and Lawrence, published as Vol. IX. of the 

 Pacific Railroad Reports. Another one entitled, "A Cata- 

 logue of the Birds of North America," by Robert Ridgway, 

 forms part of the proceedings of the United States National 

 Museum III. This last is in fact the basis of the present one, 

 which, however, has been much modified, and in many ways 

 changed and corrected, and to which a new introduction has 

 been written. 



The present list contains no less than 226 species and rec- 

 ognizable races which have been added to the North Ameri- 

 can bird fauna since the year 1850, while sixty-two names 

 contained in the old catalogue of that year have either been 

 reduced to the position of synonyms, or have been removed 

 from the list as not occurring within the region to which it 

 refers. Of the remaining 608 names over 300 have been more 

 or less changed orthographically and otherwise, so that in the 

 present list only 395 of the 760 names given in the old cata- 

 logue are retained in the nomenclature of the day. 



Only those forms which are regarded as distinct species ate 

 ill the present catalogue distinguished by separate numbers, 

 the races or varieties being marked by a letter of the alpha- 

 bet—a, b, etc., under the number of the species. There are 

 764 numbers in the list of 1881, and 160 sub-species or races, 

 so that the catalogue in reality contains 924 names. 



North America, as understood in the present list, includes 

 the entire continent down to the Southern border of the 

 United States, Greenland, the peninsula of Lower California, 

 with the outlying islands of Guadalupe and Socorro. The 

 bird fauna of these two islands is essentially Nearctic in char- 

 acter, only two species of Neotropical birds being found on 

 them. A number of species, known only from Audubon's 

 description of them, are retained in the list, and reasons, 

 which will commend themselves to every one, are given for 

 failing to throw them out. One great difficulty encountered 

 by Mr. Ridgway in the compilation of this catalogue consists 

 in the adoption of trinomials for the designation of forms, 

 which, while differing from the typical stock, has not yet 

 become so differentiated as to merit a specific appellation. 

 In other words, the determination of the question j when does 

 a certain form cease- to be a variety and become a good spe- 

 cies ; where shall the line be drawn between species and a 

 sub-species, variety or Tace, is an extremely difficult matter, 

 and one which has to be decided anew in the case of each dif- 

 ferent bird. 



That this is a point about which individual opinions are 

 extremely likely to vary is evident enough, and it is not to 

 be supposed that all of Mr. Ridgway's decisions will be ac- 

 cepted by ornithologists, but all will feel sure that the work 

 has been carefully done, and that the determinations have 

 not been made without reasons which seemed good, and at 

 the time convincing, to the author of the present list. 



For the benefit of those of our readers who, while they 

 are interested in birds and more or less familiar with the no- 

 menclature of the older authors, do not keep up with the prog- 

 ress of ornithological science, we print below a few of the 

 more important changes of the generic and specific names of 

 our more common birds. 



Hylociahla is substituted for ' Turdm in that section of the 

 thrushes of which Turdm musteUnns, Gmel., is the type. 

 MervJa is substituted for Turdux or Planeatkus in that section 

 of the thrushes represented by Turdm migratm-ius. 



Turdm nmnus has become Hespei-oeicMi navius. 



HeUnoia has been changed to Selonwa. 



Helmithenis has been changed to llekninthothems. 



C'ollyrio has been changed to Laniu.% 



Hirundo horrorum is now H. erythrogmtra. 



Gotyle has become C'otile. 



Ckrysomitris is changed to Astragalinus for that section of 

 the American goldfinches of which O. tritfis is the type, while 

 the generic name Ghrysomitru is applied only to O. -iwtata and 

 O. pinus. 



Spisella wclalis is now 8. domestica. All of the Juncos 

 heretofore regarded as mere varieties have been elevated to 

 specific rank. 



Melospua melodm becomes M. faseiata ; Goniaptoa be- 

 comes Zamelodm ; Cyanospim becomes Passerinct : Mtspm 

 becomes Spiza ; Gormm amerimnus becomes O. frugriwrm. 



Pica, melarwleuat hudsonioa is P. rustica lauhonica, while 

 P. ■mtitalli, so long regarded as a variety, is given specific 

 rank. Gyanurux has become Gyanocitta ; Ohmtura pelagim 

 or pelaxgia is now O. pelasgiea. Antrostonaw nuttallihe- 

 comes Phalmioptihix nuttalli, Pieux albolarvatus has be- 

 come Xewpiciw albolanatw. Olvx and Braehyotus aTe 

 united in the genus Axio ; Sirix is changed to Atuco; Syrnium 

 is changed to Sirix. for the barred-owl group, while the great 

 gray owl is placed in a genus Ulula by itself. 



In the Faleonidm there are some changes of name which we 



have not the space to enumerate, and in the herons we notice 

 the adoption of a number of generic appellations long since 

 proposed by Prof. Baird, but not generally accepted until the 

 publication of Mr. Ridgway's paper on this group a year or 

 two ago. Among the Ibises the white and scarlet species are 

 removed to the genus fSudoeimux, while the glossy and white- 

 faced are called respectively, flegadis falcinelbix and P. 

 guarana. 



The rosy spoonbill is Ajnja rosea ; the killdeer plover, Osc- 

 yochm vociferus ; "Wilson's plover, OcMlwdromw loilsonius ; 

 the mountain plover, Podawcys monlanus ; and the Wilson's 

 snipe, Oallinrigu mtd'o 'trilmni. The old genus Tringa is separ- 

 ated into AiyiKitcUa, Artodromux and Peiidna, and certain of 

 the specific names are changed, not only here, but among the 

 godwits and other waders. The grass, gray or upland plover 

 is no longer Actiturm hartramiux, but Bartrami'i longien.uda. 



In the Anatidoi there are a number of changes. Gygnv-s 

 has become Olor ; Anxe>- (in part) Chen; Branta, Bernicla ; 

 Bwephala, Olangula ; the genus Somaleria is separated into 

 Polyxticta, iMinproneUa and Somaleria, while the old term 

 CEdemianov; includes CEdemia, Melanetta and Pelhmetta, and 

 Erismabura dominica has become Nomonyx dominions. 



Among the remaining groups a number of important 

 changes in nomenclature appear, most of which, however, 

 are of interest only to the ornithologist, who will, of course ) 

 at once supply himself with a copy of the present work. 



In a very full Appendix to this catalogue, Mr. Ridgway fur- 

 nishes a condensed analysis of the changes which have taken 

 place in North American ornithology since 1859. This ex- 

 tremely important portion of the work includes a list of species 

 elitninatedfrom the catalogue of 1859 : alistof the species and 

 races described or added to the North American fauna since 

 1859, with references to "the first description or first Nortli 

 American record of each species ; a list of North American 

 genera, which have been described or added to the fauna 

 since 1859, together with those whose names or orthography 

 hnve been changed since that date -, a list of the species in- 

 cluded in the catalogue which have not yet (according to the 

 records) actually been taken within the prescribed limits ; a 

 list of (chiefly) North European species which occur only as 

 stragglers in Eastern North America, or regularly only in 

 Greenland and adjacent portions of the continent; a list 

 of Palseartic and Oceanic species occurrng only in Alaska 

 and other parts of the Pacific Coast ; Palaiarctic species oc- 

 curring both in Greenland and Alaska, but not recorded from 

 any intermediate point in North America; a list of tropical 

 American species occurring only in southern portions of the 

 United States ; an enumeration of valid species described by 

 Aububou and Wilson which have not since been met with, 

 and of which no specimens are known to exist in collections; 

 a list of untenable species and races of North American 

 birds described since 1858; a list of exotic species attributed 

 to North America by various authors apparently on insuf- 

 ficient evidence ; a partial list of foreign birds introduced 

 into the United States and those which have been captured 

 after escape from confinement. 



From the summary which we have given of the contents 

 of the present paper it will be seen that there is compressed 

 into a very small space a vast amount of information of the 

 greatest value to the ornithologist. We have here collected 

 matter which was originally scattered through hundreds of 

 volumes, journals, proceedings of scientific societies and 

 the likei and the service which Mr. Ridgway has performed 

 incolla'ingand arranging this material cannot be overesti- 

 mated. The author of this list, too— standing as he does in 

 the first rank of American ornithologists— was just the one 

 to have undertaken this laborious task, for his name gives 

 us the assurance that the work has been well done, and that 

 a mature and ripened judgment has been brought to bear on 

 all doubtful points. 



Bubbding of Tint GsEiT Horsed Owl. -The following 

 slip is from the Cayuga (N. Y.) Oiuef, and is interesting 

 The loeal science of Cayuga is however, at fault when it 

 states that this species is supposed to " incubate a ter in he 

 season." Bui"' Virginia nus is one of the earliest birds to nest 

 in this latitude, and the eggs are usually deposited by be 

 middle of March. The extract is as follows : On Thursday 

 morning C It Durban, son of Thomas Durbin, taxidermist, 

 while out on a bunting expedition, succeeded in capturing a 

 large horned owl. while on its nest. Two little owlets were 

 in the nest, which are the queerest creatures we have seen 

 They are evidently but recently hatched, and are covered 

 with down, but destitute of feathers. They cuddle together 

 in the nest uttering sounds not unlike a young chicken when 

 seeking the comfortable shelter of its mother's wings. The 

 mo lief owl had evidently laid in a good stock of. provisions 

 for her voung, for in the nest were found eight mice, a rat, a 

 rabbit and a robin. The capture is quite important as a con- 

 tribution to natural history, inasmuch as the spec.es , were 

 supposed to incubate later in the season. The family are 

 alive and may be seen at Durbin's greenhouse. 



Canada BiKDS-Bowmanville, April 14, 1881.-I send you 

 a few notes on the winter and early spring birds observed by 

 me in this section of this country during the past winter I 

 am nclinedtoask with my friend, Jno. Neilson, what ha 

 become of them? Who can give the information? That 

 we have had a very severe winter there is no doubt, but I 

 Jo not think this accounts for the scarcity, as most of our 

 Canadian winter birds, and especially those of the Quebec 

 district, are of the most hardy kind and not likely to be 

 fStened by any amount of cold, as long as food was plenti- 

 ful I haveseenbut one solitaryspecimen of the woodpecker 

 tribe and they are usually one of the most common of Win- 

 er birds, andbut once have I observed any crossbills 



Below I give you a list of the winter kinds and the date of 

 the first spring arrivals s 



January 17, Shore Lark. 



" 21, Hudsonian Cbicadee. 

 February 24, Pine Grosbeak 

 March 8, Crossbills, Blue jays, Buftlebead. pintail duck. 



" 4, Red-shouldered Buzzard. 



" 5, Bddhead Eagle, Cedar birds. 



" 13, Crows, purple grakles. 



" 14, nuns, downy woodpecker, red-tailed hawk. 



" 20, blue birds, robin. 



" 25, hermit thrush. 

 April 9, song sparrow, ground or field sparrow. 



" 15, wild pigeons, i r >>l(len winged woodpecker, meadow 

 lark. 



" 16, peregrine falcon. 



Most of my observations have been made under difficulties 

 this winter, as we have no woods near the town, and my 

 time is generally taken up by my business.— An Sable, 



Migrating Hkrohs— Pawtucket, R. I., April 21, 1881.— 

 Editor Forest Mid Stream : Yesterday I was snipe shoot- 

 ing on Valley Falls Flats, in Rhode Island, and saw what I 

 supposed to be a flock of geese flying very low, but soon dis- 

 covered them to be blue heron ; there were twenty in the 

 flock. Now I have had a good deal of experience in shooting 

 and have never seen them in such numbers before. Will you 

 please inform me if it is not a very unusual occurrence for 

 this part of the country.— G. W. Pitohkr, 



We saw once such a flock a3 this observed by you. It was 

 in the gray of the morning in April, and wc were rowing 

 out to the ducking ground, when we observed twenty great 

 blue herons, and about a quarter of a mile behind them nine 

 more. The birds were coming from the South across Long 

 Island Sound and were about half a mile from the north 

 shore of the Sound when they were seen. 



Florida Notes— Halifax Inlet, E. Florida, April 17, 1881. 

 — We sometimes see the osprey or fish-hawk escape the pur- 

 suit of the predatory eagle by ascending high into the air. 

 Apparently the eagle, Haliintu-x lev.cocephai.ux, cannot or will 

 not ascend so higli^ for, at a certain elevation, she abandons 

 the chase. The osprey only occasionally adopts these tactics. 

 Perhaps only when the fish she carries is light enough to 

 allow the upward flight, or it. may be only the older birds, 

 which have acquired by many contests this cunning. 



A specimen of the marsh hen, Ballux longiroxiiix, was 

 brought in lately, with its bill caught between the. shells of 

 a clam ; so imprisoned, the bird had been drowned by the 

 rising tide. 



Four specimens of the shell of the paper nautilus were 

 brought in from this beach lately, after a storm. It has been 

 doubted by some whether this species occurs on the coast of 

 Eastern Florida, but specimeus are found here every winter, 

 .sometimes containing the animal.— S. C. C. 



Tame Quail- Dover, N. J., April 20, 1881.— Last summer 

 Elias Crater, living between Sticcasunna and Flanders, drove 

 a mowing machine over a quail's nest. He took the eggs 

 home and set them under a bantam. Nioc were hutched. 

 A cat killed one, but did not. disturb the rest. The hen would 

 wander with them in the daytime, but always brought them 

 into the kitchen to sleep. 1 saw them a number of times 

 when small. Y esterday I saw the only surviving two (males). 

 They are fine, large, healthy birds, and are allowed their 

 freedom and go in and about the house just as an ordinary 

 fowl would.- A. C. C. 



Great Northern Diver.— West Milford, W. Va.-— On the 

 13th task 1 killed a great northern diver (Ootymbus glicialix) 

 on ourmill pond, which measured thirty inches in length, aud 

 three feet and nine inches from tip to tip of wings, and 

 weighed eight and three-fourths pounds. I believe it is a 

 very rare bird in this section. Will some of the correspond- 

 ents of this paper state whether it is common in the northern 

 part of the United States and what is the usual size of the 

 birds.— B. D. R. 



The loon is common in the North, especially on the sea 

 coast, during the spring and fall migrations. 



Albino Robins.— A milk-white, red-breasted robin is ex- 

 citing considerable interest among citizens of Sewiekley, Pa., 

 where she has been discovered building a nest, assisted by a 

 male robin of normal color, save that he has a white head. 



Maine.— Lincoln, April 16.— A fine specimen of a white- 

 headed eagle (Haliwivx Uucouphalux), measuring eight feet 

 from tip to tip of wings, was caught in a trap in this vicinity 

 recently, and is now in possession of our local taxidermist. 



— f. c: P. 



(fmije |?a# and (gun. 



"BLACK POWDER" EXPLOSIONS. 



LAST Thursday morning there was a terrible explosion at 

 the Dittmar powder works at Buigliamton, New 

 York. The buildings of the manufactory were shuttered, 

 and their stone foundations distributed over an area of half 

 a mile. The trunksof trees were twisted off and others lorn 

 up by the roots; many thousands of panes of glass were bro- 

 ken in all parts of the city, and the shock of the explosion 

 was felt for thirty miles around. And this tremendous ex- 

 plosion was that of " black powder which had been stored on 

 the premises." Mr. Carl Difmar told the reporters that the 

 first and minor explosion was caused by the spontaneous 

 combustion of a barrel of nitro-sugar ; and then explained to 

 them, as they in turn dutifully explained to the public : 



" The Dittmar powder first took fire and was consumed in a slow 

 blaze which reached the black powder in about live minutes, when 

 the terrific explosion which startled the inhabitants lor many 

 miles around took place." 



There is a flavor of simplicity and ingenuousness about 

 that statement which leaves no room to question its entire 

 veracity.' Mr-. Dittmar is now engaged in the manufacture of 

 blasting explosives; the "black powder" part of the story re. 

 minds us of a similar curious circumstance attending the 

 Park Place, New Y r ork, explosion last year. On the morn- 

 ing of the 30th day of last June a tremendous shock startled 

 Park Place, and a dense volume of smoke was seen pouring 

 from the Dittmar powder company's establishment. Amid 

 the concourse of firemen, police aud excited citizens, a news- 



