Chapman on Geothlypis trichas ignota. 
9 
ficent system of trinomials” to an absurdity. It is much easier to 
name a dozen new species or subspecies than to get rid of one, 
though erected on a lalse basis. Let us then weave our 
ornithological net so open-meshed that the undesirable small 
fry of incipient local forms may readily pass through and escape till 
further differentiation, in future ages, shall render them desirable 
captures.* 
ON THE EASTERN FORMS OF GEOTHLTPIS 
TRICHAS . 
BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN. 
Three years ago I obtained in Florida several Maryland Yellow- 
throats which apparently differed from northern specimens of 
this bird. During succeeding winters additional examples were 
secured, but being unable to obtain summer specimens, which 
without fear of error could be considered resident birds, I was 
unwilling to call attention to what I supposed was an undescribed 
form of this species resident in Florida. Thus the matter rested 
until recently, when Mr. W. E. D. Scott very courteously placed 
at my disposal his entire series of Florida specimens. In attempt- 
ing now with the aid of this additional material to determine the 
status of the Florida bird, I found it would also be necessary to 
ascertain the relationships of the Mississippi Valley bird, to which 
the Audubonian name roscoe has recently been applied. To this 
end, therefore, through the kind offices of fellow naturalists, I have 
accumulated a large amount of material, in all somewhat over 
three hundred specimens. 
The relationships of the Mississippi Valley bird. — From 
this region I have a series of some sixty specimens, of which 
thirty-eight are adult males in breeding plumage ; with these I 
shall make my comparisons. Occupying an intermediate geograph- 
ical position between the true patrice of both the eastern and the 
* In this connection I would call attention to the sagacious note of warning sounded 
by Dr. Coues in 1884, in the Preface to his ‘ Key to North American Birds' (p. xxvii, 
second paragraph). 
