232 
General Notes. 
Mr. Elliot is certainly entitled to the sincere thanks of ornithologists 
the world over for this carefully elaborated “ Synopsis ” of the largest and 
most interesting family of American birds. It will doubtless form a refer- 
ence work for the group, not to be soon superseded, either in point of com- 
pleteness or of usefulness. — J. A. A. 
Brewer on the Nests and Eggs of the Empidonaces. — In a 
paper * of ten pages Dr. Brewer gives “ the measurements of all the eggs 
of the eight species of Empidonax that are in the collection of the Smith- 
sonian Institution,” and of those in his own collection, with the addition 
of some others. Following the measurements and descriptions of the 
nests and eggs of these eight species are several pages devoted to a con- 
sideration of the nests and eggs of E. Jlaviventris , in which the author 
affirms that the unspotted eggs, found in nests built in bushes, and for- 
merly ascribed by him to this species, were correctly identified, and argues 
that the differences these nests and eggs present, as compared with those 
recently described by Messrs. Osborne and Purdie, are only in accordance 
with the wide range of variability in these respects known to obtain in 
other species of this genus. — J. A. A. 
(Scimal Uflftcs. 
The Use of Trinomials. — As our practice for some time has been 
a practical indorsement of the use of trinomials, it might appear almost 
superfluous to offer further testimony in the matter. Nevertheless, in re- 
sponse to Mr. Ridgway’s recent call, a few brief remarks may be ventured. 
It is scarcely necessary to waste time in arguing upon the desirability 
of some better method of expressing geographical varieties than that 
afforded by the binomial system, so far at least as American ornithologists 
are concerned, since, as stated by Mr. Allen, not alone they, but nearly 
all American writers on other branches of zoology, as well as botany, con- 
cede the necessity by discarding the binomial in favor of the trinomial in 
some form or other. But if any argument were needed in favor of a 
change it could be found in recent English and Continental ornithological 
writings, where binomials are still closely adhered to. One of the most 
perplexing evils resulting from such close adherence is frequently apparent 
in the difficulty or impossibility the student finds in discriminating between 
* Notes on the Nests and Eggs of the Eight North American Species of 
Empidonaces. By T. M. Brewer. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Yol. I, pp. , 
April 29, 1879. Also separate, author’s edition, pp. 10. (Only the author’s 
separates have been seen by the reviewer.) 
