NATURAL SCIENCES OE PHILADELPHIA. 
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ises que ne sont ni de vraies plantes, ni de vrais animaux. Ce n’est qu’a 
force d’observations et de meditations que l’on pourra distinguer clairement 
les vraies plantes et les vmis animaux des autres etres organises qui en different 
assez pour avoir une autre determination et un autre rang dans la division 
methodique des productions de la nature.” (Seances des Ecoles Normales, 
tome v. p. 277.) 
We cite these authors only for the general purpose of illustrating the usual 
style of the suggestions and opinions frequently to be met with. Purposely, 
at present, we do not extend extracts of this description, nor give any such 
from living authors. 
On the LESTRIS RICHARDSONI of Swainson; with a Critical Review of the 
Subfamily LESTRIDINiE. 
BY ELLIOTT COUES, M.D., U. S. A. 
In the year 1831, a Jager was described and figured in the Fauna Eoreali- 
Americana, under the name of “ Lestris Richardsoni Swains.” This bird has 
been generally supposed to be the true parasitica of Briinnich, in the now 
well known fusco-unicolor state of plumage which all the species of Stercora- 
rius pass through in arriving at maturity. Consequently, the name “ Richard - 
soni” has been employed for the common Jager, especially by American 
writers, to the exclusion of the prior name 11 parasitica,” of Briinnich. 
Examination of the works of Temminck, who, at the time in which he 
wrote, probably knew more about Jagers than almost any author, will show 
how this misapplication of a name became general. 
In his edition of 1820, he is acquainted with but a single species of Lestris, 
(besides catarractes and pomarinus,) which he calls 11 parasitica Briinn.” His 
description of the latter is made up of a mixture of the characters of parasitica 
and Buffoni; and the synonyms of the two are indiscriminately adduced. 
In his edition of 1840, he recognizes the distinctions between the two 
species parasitica and Buffoni ; but, unfortunately, he calls the true parasitica 
“ Richardsoni ,” adducing the proper synonyms of the species under that 
name ; while he describes the true Buffoni under the name of “ parasitica,” 
He is thus fully aware of his mistake of 1820 ; for (page 498) he makes the 
following “ Remarque : Comme notre article du stercoraire parasite ou labbe 
du manuel p. 796, renferme, ainsi qu’il vient d’etre dit, les synonymes de deux 
esp&ces distinctes, (le stercoraire a filets subules courts, et le stercoraire a 
longs filets,) il est necessairede refaire en totalite to utes les indications sur ces 
deux especes.” 
But, believing Swainson’s bird to be the same as the parasitica, he says 
(page 492), in defence of the nomenclature adopted: “Shortly after the 
publication of the second edition of the Manual, of 1820, we became aware of 
the error in our article on Lestris parasitica, where the description and 
synonymy of two distinct species are confounded. Guided by Boie’s observa- 
tions, we had applied the name parasitica to the small Jager with short tail 
feathers, proposing to adopt for the one with long tail feathers (the labbe a 
longe queue of Buflfon,) the name Buffoni ; but since some English authors,* 
led into error by our article, have thought that they have discovered in our 
parasitical new species, which they call “ Richardsoni,” we are obliged to 
adopt their mistake, sanctioned as it is by several naturalists, and in many 
collections. Being, then, confident that Lestris Richardsoni is really the same 
with our L. parasitica, with short tail feathers, ... we adopt here the 
first of these names for the short-tailed Jager, leaving to the long-tailed species 
1863 .] 
* i. e., Swainson, and others. 
