1876.] Bartramian Names in Ornithology. 25 
Lists like Bartram’s are not of rare occurrence, where the au- 
thors, not having the means of readily determining the species, or 
not caring to take the trouble to ‘do so, give the correct names 
when they happen to know them, and prefer coining names for 
the others as the easiest way out of a difficult 
Finally, let me ask students of zodlogy— for the principle in- 
volved is not, of course, limited to ornithology —if searching for 
old names, which, like those of Bartram’s, can only be determined 
by the process of exclusion, with which to supplant long-estab- 
lished ones, intelligently proposed and backed by adequate descrip- 
tions, tends to the best interest of science? If the example Dr. 
Coues is here setting is to be followed, there will be no stability 
to our nomenclature for a long time, but only, except perhaps to 
a few experts, the most perplexing confusion. The advocacy of 
such revolutions on the score of justice is, it seems to me, calling 
things by wrong names, robbing, as it does, intelligent workers of 
the recognition justly their due, whenever circumstance may favor 
the deciphering of the hieroglyphics of earlier slovenly or ignorant 
writers, of which their own works would never afford an interpre- 
tation. Such researches may be of interest from an antiquarian 
point of view, but they should end with their legitimate results, 
and not be pushed with a view of overturning long-settled names 
in zodlogical nomenclature. I herewith append a list of the Bar- 
tramian names (given in quotation marks) which Dr. Coues 
wishes to see set up, with the nomenclature resulting from his 
determinations, together with their usual equivalents, and with a 
few critical remarks on special points. 
1. ©“ VULTUR ATRATUS, black vulture or carrion crow 
Carthartes atratus (Bartr.). Elsewhere well described. 
“ FALCO GLAUCUS, the sharp-winged hawk, of a pale sky- 
blue color, the tip of the wings black ” = Elanus glaucus (Bartr.) 
Coues = Æ. leucurus auct. Otherwise further described. 
3. “ FALCO SUBCERULIUS, the sharp-winged hawk, of a dusky 
blue color” = Jetinia subcwruleus (Bartr.) Coues = I. Missis- 
sippiensis auct. Otherwise further qeitibed; 
4. “ CORVUS CARNIVORUS, ;the raven” = Corvus corax, var. 
carnivorus (Bartr.) B. B. and R. Adopted in 1858 by Baird, 
ut Bartram’s whole description consists of the names here given 
in quotation marks, with a mark prefixed denoting that it is one 
of the species that ‘arrive in Pennsylvania in the spring sea- 
son, from the South, which, after building nests and rearing 
their young, return again southerly in the autumn.” At page 
