154 
THE CONDOR 
| Vol. VIII 
THE CONDOR 
An Illustrated Magazine 
of "Western Ornithology 
Published Bi-Monthly by the Cooper Ornithologi- 
cal Club of California. 
JOSEPH GRINNELL, Editor, - Pasadena 
H. T. CLIFTON, Business Manager, Box 404, Pasadena 
WILLIAM L. FINLEY 
ROBT. E. SNODGRASS 
| Associate Editors 
Pasadena, California: Published Nov. 20, 1906 
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EDITORIALS 
BETTER In view of the fact that there 
VERNACULAR is iii preparation a new A. O. U. 
names Checklist of North American 
Birds, and that this will un- 
doubtedly be the generally accepted authority 
in matters of nomenclature for the next decade 
or more, a discussion of certain features is more 
appropriately in order in advance than later. 
The A. O. U. Committee on Nomenclature an- 
nounces itself as open to suggestions and 
recommendations from anyone anywhere, and 
these will be given due consideration before 
final action is taken. 
We have not been alone in our advocacy of 
better common or vernacular names for our 
birds than many of those in use in the old List; 
and this is the subject we wish to bring up 
here. 
Common names should be chosen from the 
standpoint of popular convenience as well as 
more or less of technical propriety. The useful- 
ness of the A. O. U. Checklist would in our 
minds be decidedly augmented by the follow- 
ing modifications and innovations. 
Drop possessives; for instance, Audubon 
Warbler instead of “Audubon’s” Warbler. The 
merits of this usage have already been dis- 
cussed, and to our minds tliorol}' demonstrated 
by its increasing employment. 
Use a nominative form of geographical name 
instead of an adjectival; for example, Texas 
Nighthawk instead of “Texan” Nighthawk, 
California Woodpecker instead of “Californian” 
Woodpecker. The old List is inconsistent in 
this respect. 
Insert some qualifying term before the name 
of each bird which has two or more representa- 
tive races; for example, we have in the old List, 
“Bluebird,” Western Bluebird, Azure Bluebird, 
etc. But all are bluebirds , and the eastern 
species should be called, say, Eastern Bluebird. 
So also there should be an Eastern Wood 
Pewee instead of “Wood Pewee" alone, and so 
on with a great number of cases. 
Change “Partridge” to Quail wherever the 
former name is used in the old List. We, here 
in California, never hear of Valley “Partridges” ! 
They are always Valley Quail ; and the same 
with the other species. 
For similar reasons the term “House Finch” 
should be replaced by the much more prefer- 
able Linnet; the “House Finch” of the old List 
would become Common Linnet; the San 
Clemente “House Finch” would be known as 
the San Clemente Linnet, etc. We can see no 
excuse whatever for retaining “House Finch”; 
99 persons out of every ioo who are familiar 
with Linnets never heard of “House Finches”! 
P'or similar reasons the “American Coot” is 
far better known as the Mudhen; the latter 
name should be adopted. 
“Leucosticte” should become Rosy Finch, 
just as it used to be called in earlier literature, 
this for the sakeof the amateur (possibly others) 
who doesn’t know Greek! 
“St. ” or “Saint” Lucas should be replaced 
by San Lucas wherever this geographic name is 
used; for instance, .Sail Lucas Cardinal. Both 
“St. Lucas” and “Saint Lucas” are hybrid 
names and incorrect. 
Besides the above, for varying reasons we 
think an improvement would be accomplished 
by making the following substitutions: Moun- 
tain Partridge of the old List should be changed 
to Painted Quail; Plumed Partridge to Moun- 
tian Quail; California Vulture to California 
Condor; Burrowing Owl to Ground Owl; Ar- 
kansas Kingbird to Western Kingbird; Santa 
Cruz Jay to Santa Cruz Island Jay; Large-billed 
Sparrow to Large-billed Marsh Sparrow; Gam- 
bel’s Sparrow to Nuttall Sparrow; Thurber’s 
Junco to Sierra Junco; Forbush’s Sparrow to 
Northwestern Lincoln Sparrow; Louisiana Tan- 
ager to Western Tanager; Grinnell’s Water- 
Thrush to Alaska Waterthrusli; Macgillivray’s 
Warbler to Tolmie Warbler; Bush-Tit to Pacific 
Bushtit; Chestnut-backed Chickadee to Chest- 
nut-sided Chickadee; California Chickadee to 
Marin Chickadee; Barlow's Chickadee to Santa 
Cruz Chickadee. 
Besides the above specified cases there are a 
good many more which warrant reconsidera- 
tion. We would urge the desirability of em- 
ploying the very best vernacular names that 
can be selected. This selection is not an easy 
task, and the responsibility devolves upon the 
A. O. U. Committee on Nomenclature. At best 
we can’t expect them to please everyone. Yet 
we hanker after names that we can use in our 
school work and popular literature without the 
necessity of explaining why we have to use 
them wrongly! 
If anyone has serious objections to the 
above proposed changes, or if he has further 
suggestions to make, now is the time to speak; 
and The Condor is a good medium for the 
