NOTE ON SYLVIA TOLMCEI. 
159 
Note on Sylvia Tolmoei. By John K. Townsend. 
Read September 10th, 1839. 
When I first procured this bird on the Columbia 
River in the spring of 1835, I considered it an un- 
described species, and have never since seen reason 
to renounce the opinion then formed. Specimens, 
in several varieties of plumage, were sent by me to 
the Academy in the following year, from among 
which Mr. Audubon selected several. A pair of 
these are figured in the 4th volume of his splendid 
work, under the title of Sylvia Philadelphia , for 
which species Mr. A. always mistook it. 
Being myself thoroughly convinced, that this 
usually accurate naturalist was for once mistaken, 
I ventured to insert a description of this bird in an 
appendix to my recently published work, “ Narrative 
of a Journey Across the Rocky Mountains, &c.” 
and honored it with the name of my friend Dr. W. 
Fraser Tolmie. At a subsequent period, Mr. Au- 
dubon, aware of his former error, relinquished the 
name of S. Philadelphia, and in Yol. Y. of his “ Or- 
nithological Biography,” page 75, called the species 
S. Macgilivrayi. 
If I had been aware, before the publication of my 
appendix, of Mr. Audubon’s wish to name this 
bird, I should have adopted his appellation with 
cheerfulness ; but as his intention was never com- 
municated to me, the name of S. Tolmoei, which I 
have given it, having priority, must of course be 
retained. 
