96 Coues on the Nomenclature oj North American Birds. 
115. Cotile riparia (L.) Boie. In Isis, 1822, p. 550, Boie originally 
wrote Cotile , afterward changed to Cotyle (Isis, 1826). Most of us have 
supposed the latter to be correct, as if the Greek kotvXt 7, and so it is almost 
universally written. (See B. C. V., p. 370.) Now it appears we have 
been wrong. There is the Greek KcoriXas, a swallow, from kcotlXXoo, to 
prattle or twitter, from which doubtless Boie’s genus, as originally spelled, 
is derived. (The point is said to be discussed in the last, or a late, number 
of the Ibis ; but I have not seen the article ) 
196. Passerina ciris (L.) Gray. 
197. Passerina versicolor (Bp.) Gray. 
198. Passerina amcena (Say) Gray. 
199. Passerina cyanea (L.) Gray. The genus Cyanospiza, Bd., 1858, 
is given in Gray’s Hand-list, II, p. 97, as synonymous with Passerina , 
Vieill., 1816. This is correct. The type of Passerina , Vieill., as given 
in the Analyse, 1816, p. 30, is “ Le Ministre ” of Buffon. On turning 
to Buffon, Hist. Nat. Ois., 4to ed., Vol. IV, 1778, p. 86, we find u Le 
Ministre ” described by Montbrillard at second hand, the references being 
to Brisson and Catesby. Looking up Brisson, III, 1760, p. 13, we see 
that “ Le Ministre” is his “ Tangara bleu de la Caroline,” Tangara 
carolinensis coeralea , also described at second hand, the reference being to 
Catesby. Finally, consulting Catesby, I, p. 45, pi. 45, we find that he 
describes and figures a “ Blue Linnet,” which is the “ Indigo Bird,” 
Cyanospiza cyanea , Bd. It is true that Vieillot later expanded his 
genus (in the Nouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat.) to cover a miscellaneous assort- 
ment of Fringillidce and Icteridce, but this does not affect his original 
establishment of the genus upon the Indigo Bird. It is also a fact that 
there is a prior Passerina in botany ; but this does not preclude its use in 
zoology. 
To the above species of Passerina are to be added P. leclancheri (Lafr.) 
Gray, and P. rositce (Lawr.) Coues. 
149. Astragalinus tristis ( L .) Cab. 
150. Astragalinus lawrencii (Cass.) Coues. 
151. Astragalinus psaltria (Say) Coues. 
151a. Astragalinus psaltria arizonae, Coues. 
1515. Astragalinus psaltria mexicanus (Siv.) Coues. In the exces- 
sive generic subdivision which is now in vogue I find it necessary to restrict 
Chrysomitris, Boie, to C. spinus and its strict American congener, C. pinus , 
and to take Astragalinus , Cab., for tristis and its allies. Messrs. Baird and 
Ridgway did the same thing, in effect, in 1874, but by some oversight 
reversed the names, transferring A. stragalinus to pinus, and Chrysomitris to 
tristis (Hist. N. A. B., I, pp. 470, 471). But the type of Astragalinus is 
tristis, and that of Chrysomitris is supposed to be spinus. In defending my 
separation of the two genera, I may say that, if any one will compare 
Carduelis elegans, Chrysomitris spinus, and A stragalinus tristis, he will find 
as much difference between the second and third of these as between the 
