“IV] Chapman, The Eastern Forms of Geothlypis trichas. 31 
In preparing the manuscript for a monograph of North American 
Mniotiltidae it seemed desirable, therefore, to reconsider the rela- 
tionships of these birds. To this end Mr. Ridgway has kindly 
loaned me the pertinent specimens under his charge. I have also 
had birds from Doctors Bishop and Dwight, and have examined 
the collections of Mr. Brewster, of the Biological Survey, as well, of 
course, as the specimens in the American Museum of Natural 
History. 
This material shows that the middle Yellow-throat, the so-called 
trichas, averages smaller and paler than either of the forms south 
( ignota ) or north ( brachidactyla ) of it. The differentiation is so 
slight, however, and is so frequently bridged by variation as to 
invalidate the claim for distinction by name of this central form. 
This, it is true, is a matter of opinion, but in examining the 
literature bearing on the question an interesting discovery was 
made which places the whole matter in a new light. 
In applying the name trichas to the Yellow-throat of the Middle 
States Mr. Palmer accepted the prevailing opinion that the type 
locality for this form is Maryland. It appears, however, that this 
is not the case, the specimen which Edwards 1 figured and de- 
scribed, and which is cited first by Linnaeus , 2 not having come 
from Maryland but form Carolina! Edwards’s (/. r.) statement 
of its origin is as follows: “This bird was the property of Mr. 
Elliot, Merchant, in Broad Street, London, who received it, with 
others, preserved in spirits, from Carolina, in North America; and 
was so obliging as to lend them all to me, to take drawings of them” 
(l. c.). The origin of the name “Maryland Yellow-throat,” 
which Edwards gave to his Carolina bird, as well as the cause for 
the erroneous belief that his type came from Maryland, is revealed 
by the remarks which follow the quotation just given. He con- 
tinues: “J. Petiver, in his Gazophylaciiun, plate VI. has given 
the figure of a bird, which I believe to be the same with this; for 
which reason I continue the name he has given it: all he says of 
it is, ‘Avis Marylandica gutture luteo, the Maryland Yellow-Throat. 
This the Rev. Mr. LI. Jones sent me from Maryland.’ Petiver’s 
1 Gleanings of Nat. Hist., 1758, I, p. 56, pi. 237. 
2 Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 1766, 293. 
