Chlorostilbon Bracei Lawrence, an Extinct Species of Hummingbird from New Providence Island, Bahamas

CHLOROSTILBON BRACEI LAWRENCE, AN EXTINCT SPECIES OF HUMMINGBIRD FROM NEW PROVIDENCE ISLAND, BAHAMAS

GARY R. GRAVES AND STORRS L. OLSON Departmentof VertebrateZoology, National Museum of Natural History, SmithsonianInstitution, Washington, D.C. 20560 USA

ABSrRAcr.--Chlorostilbonbracei Lawrence, known from the unique holotype taken on New ProvidenceIsland, Bahamas,in 1877, is shown to be a valid speciesthat is evidently now extinct.Compared with C. ricordiiof Cuba and the Bahamas,C. braceiis smaller,has a longer bill, and has distinctly different plumage. Fossilevidence demonstratesthat a small Chloros- tilbon,tentatively referred to C. bracei,was present on New Providencein the Pleistocene. Populationsof C. ricordiifrom Andros, Abaco,and Grand Bahamaare indistinguishablefrom Cuban birds, and C. ricordiiis therefore regardedas monotypic.Received 18 June1986, accepted 25 November 1986.

THE first record of the genus Chlorostilbonin known only from a single specimen,and listed the Bahamaswas Lawrence's(1877) description both braceiand aeneoviridisas synonyms of C. of "Sporadinus"bracei based on a single male ricordii. specimentaken on New Providence(Fig. 1) by Riley (1905),saying nothing further aboutC. L. J. K. Bracethat Lawrence regarded as being bracei, considered the other Bahaman birds as closest to C. ricordii of Cuba. Elliot (1878: 240) separablefrom those of Cuba and maintained comparedthe specimenwith the type of C. ri- them as a subspecies,Riccordia ricordii aeneoviri- cordii,"but was not able to satisfy myself that dis. This treatment was followed by Ridgway it was certainly distinct. More specimensof this (1911), who noted, however, "In case Sporadi- bird, and perfect ones, are necessarybefore its nusbracei Lawrence should prove not different proper specific position can be fully demon- from the ordinary Bahamanbird, the name of strated." He listed C. ricordii from Cuba and this form would then be Riccordia ricordii bracei" "Abajo of the Bahamas"(= Abaco), apparently (p. 544,footnote). Todd and Worthington(1911) the first reference to Chlorostilbon elsewhere in tentatively continued to segregatethe Baha- the Bahamas. man from Cuban birds under the name aeneo- Cory (1880) maintained C. braceias a distinct viridis,and while quotinga communicationfrom speciesbut later listed it as a synonym of C. Riley to the effectthat the type of C. braceiwas ricordii with no comment (Cory 1886, 1889, unique, they (1911: 423) doubted that the spec- 1890). Northrop (1891) reported C. ricordii as imen "is anything more than an abnormal abundant on Andros, and additional records for specimenof the ordinary Bahamanbird." Abaco and Grand Bahama were listed by Cory Cory (1918: 209) probably had the most in- (1891a,b), Ridgway (1891), and Salvin (1892). fluence on the present systematicstatus of C. Palmer and Riley (1902) recognizedC. bracei bracei:"I have examined the type of S. bracei as a valid speciesand differentiated the other Lawrence. The specimen is a mummy in poor populationsof Chlorostilbonin the Bahamasfrom condition and apparently discolored(probably those of Cuba as a new species, "Riccordia" by preservative)and in my opinion is a discol- aeneoviridis.Under this name Allen (1905: 127) ored specimenof the bird which occurscom- mentioned that the birds occurred commonly monly on Andros and Abaco Islands.The fact on "Great Abaco, Little Abaco, and Great Ba- that no specimens of Riccordia[Chlorostilbon] hama." Previously, however, Bonhote (1903: have since been recorded from New Provi- 293) had studied a series from Abaco and failed dence would suggestthat no race existsthere "to see the very smallestreason for separating and that the occurrenceof the type specimen the Abaco bird" from those of Cuba. He inti- of braceion that island (if the locality given is mated that the occurrence of Chlorostilbon on correct) was accidental." New Providence was fortuitous because it was Bond (1936) was the first to use the combi-

296 The Auk 104:296-302. April 1987 April 1987] ExtinctHummingbird 297

nation Riccordiaricordii bracei to apply to all the Bahamanpopulations, in the opinion that "the unique type of bracei[was] a straggler to New Providence" (p. 206, footnote). He continued this treatment (Bond 1940: 15) and added further doubt by listing the type locality of bracei as "'New Providence,'but possiblyAndros or Abaco." With the use of the combination Chlo- rostilbonricordii bracei for all Bahamanpopula- tions by Bond (1945, 1956), who continued to query the type locality, and by Peters (1945), this concept of the systematicsof Bahaman Fig. 1. Present-dayislands in the Bahamas.Banks Chlorostilbonbecame fixed in the literature, and exposedduring glacial periodsin the Pleistoceneare outlined. the true nature of the type of C. braceihas been overlooked since.

THE PROVENANCE OF THE HOLOTYPE OF wings purplish, when closednearly reaching CHLOROSTILBON BRACEI to end of tail--tail, mostlyin sheaths,but those grown out are of nearly equal width, the 2 The geographicalorigins of the holotype of centre rectrices& under vanes of others green- C. braceihave been questionedby several au- ish, inner vanespurplish black--crissum,gray- thors. To establish the circumstances of its ac- ish, the feathers edged with a faint tinge of quisition, we examined the correspondence cinnamon, a few near anus with a spot of from the collector,Lewis J. K. Brace,to Spencer green--on the flanks a pure white spot or rath- F. Baird in the files of the Registrar,U.S. Na- er patch, tipped bright cinnamon." tional Museum, and in the Archives of the This detailedand sensitivedescription estab- Smithsonian Institution. This correspondence lishesthat Bracewas awareof the greatsignif- establishesbeyond all doubt that the specimen icanceof his discoveryat the time. The descrip- was taken on New Providence. We were un- tion, down to the molting rectrices, matches able to learn more aboutBrace, apart from what exactly the holotype of C. bracei.There can be is evident in the Baird correspondenceand the no doubt that the bird was obtained by Brace indication that he probably lived on New on New Providenceon 13 July 1877. Providence at least until 1922. In a letter to Baird (23 October 1877) Brace In a letter to Baird from Nassau, Brace wrote mentioned "I rec d a communication from Mr. (16 July 1877):"the principal & most important G. N. Lawrenceby which I am glad to see the communication I have to make is the fact that Humming bird I wrote to you about, is proba- I procured on the 13th inst., about 3 miles from bly a new species." On 18 March 1878, Brace town, inland somewhat, a Humming bird, wrote: "About the Sporadinus--it is certainly which, not having the descriptionsof them, I very singularI have not seenany other speci- have to beg you to identify for me. I send it mens of the male. I have procured several fe- you [sic] marked No. [left blank]. I also send, males& thosesitting & procuredfrom the nest for what it may be worth, the following note [emphasisBrace's]. I hope to send specimens of its measurementsetc. made shortly after it soon to the Smiths." This was followed by a was killed. Lgth 3 •A"e[xtent] 4 •A"wing 1 •A letter on 30 August 1878:"Since receipt of you width of wing near body •%2"tail 1 1/•2" culmen last of March 28th, sickness has cast its shadow •1/•6"commissure •6" tarsus rm3/•2"--bill,with a aroundmy house--thusI apologizefor my long very slight curve, conicallypointed, black:tarsi silence--I have forwarded by post to Mr. Law- black--Above bronzed green with a golden rence,2 femalesof his Sporadinus,one of which sheen--head, like the backwithout the gold & I have beggedhim to forward to the Smithson- a white spot immediately behind the eyes-- ian." gorget, unfortunately much injured, magnifi- No further specimens of Chlorostilbonfrom cent blue-green--beneath, green the feathers New Providence were received at the Smith- tipped ash gray--about anus, a white bar-- sonian (USNM) or at the American Museum of 298 GRAVESAND OLSON [Auk,Vol. 104

Fig. 2. Head and bill of male Chlorostilbonricordii (upper) and holotypeof C. bracei(lower) drawn to scale. Feathersextend anteriorly to the distalmargin of the nasalflange in C. bracei.Ink drawingby Nancy A. Payzant.

Natural History (AMNH), where most of Law- formalin or alcohol on the reflectance of hum- rence'scollection was deposited.However, we mingbird feathershas not been studied in con- found two female specimensof Philodiceeve- trolled experiments.Fry (1985)found that green lynae(USNM 353320,collected 29 January1878; plumage of bee-eatersbecame bluish-green AMNH 46643, collected 13 March 1878) taken when stored in 70% ethanol. Postmortem by Braceon New Providence. Both specimens change has been recorded in gorget color of were identified correctlyas Philodiceon tags hummingbird study skinsnot subjectedto fluid apparently prepared by Lawrence with the preservatives (Graves 1986). However, the notation "Presentedby L. J.K. Brace.... "A por- plumage of Chlorostilbonstored in 70% ethanol tion of Brace'soriginal label is attached to at the National Museum (e.g.C. swainsoniisince the AMNH specimen: "Sporadinus Bracei 1927,C. maugaeussince 1977; USNM) is identical L[awrence], •, Nassau, N[ew Providence], shot in color,when air dried, to that of study skins. 29/1/78." This indicates that the "Sporadinus" The arrangementof the wings, head, and tail femalesmentioned by Bracein correspondence of the type and the texture of the plumageis were referableto Philodice.Thus, the type spec- consistentwith it being an air-dried prepara- imen of C. braceiis the only known extant skin. tion of a freshly killed specimen. The type of C. braceiwas describedpartly be- CHARACTERS AND VALIDITY OF fore and after preservationas a mummy. In ref- CHLOROSTILBON BRACEI erenceto potential effectsof preservativefluids, Brace's observation that the head lacked the Plumagecolor and the possibilityof postmortem "golden sheen" of the back is important. In the change.--Cory suspectedthat the plumage of formal description of C. bracei,prepared after the type of C. braceimay have been discolored the specimenwas mummified, Lawrence (1877: by preservatives. The effects of immersion in 50) noted the difference in crown and back col- April 1987] ExtinctHummingbird 299

TABLE1. Measurements (mm) of selected characters TABLE2. Measurements(mm) of C. ricordiifrom An- of male Chlorostilbonricordii and the type of C. bra- dros and fossil Chlorostilbon from New Providence. cei.The first primary of both wings of the type of C. braceiwas being replaced. Wing chord was mea- Humerus Ulna sured from the tip of the second primary; culmen Andros length was measuredfrom the anterior edge of the nasal flange. Values are rangesand means _+SD. USNM 553355 • 4.5 5.1 USNM 553485 • 4.5 5.0 Wing Culmen USNM 553486 • 4.5 4.9 USNM 553488 9 4.3 4.7 C. ricordii New Providence Abaco (n = 15) 49.9-52.5 13.5-15.7 50.9 _+ 0.81 14.8 _+ 0.55 USNM 283393 4.2 USNM 283394 4.7+ Andros (n = 6) 47.2-49.1 15.2-15.8 48.5 _+ 0.66 15.5 -+ 0.26 Cuba (n = 17) 49.0-52.9 14.2-16.0 ricordiiare of the magnitude observed among 51.6 + 0.99 15.1 + 0.45 ,unequivocalfull speciesin the genus.The type C. bracei of C. braceihas a reddish-bronzeback and wing (USNM 71386) Right 45.2 17.3 coverts that contrast with the bronze green of Left 44.2 the crown, hindneck, rump, and central rectrices.The back,wing coverts,rump, and hindneck of C. ricordiiare concolorousbronze green. or: "Crown and gorgetof a glittering pale green; From a ventral perspective,the differencesare back, the two central and the next pair of tail- more striking. When viewed in direct light, the feathers,bronzed golden-green ... breast and gorget of C. braceiis pale green, with silvery abdomendull bronzy green." Theseand other bluish or oily green reflections, depending on early descriptionsof the type (Brace in litt., the angle of reflection, instead of rich golden Lawrence 1877, Todd and Worthington 1911, green as in C. ricordii.Although the center of Cory 1918) are in general agreementwith the the gorget of the type of C. braceiis rumpled, appearanceof the specimentoday, and post- the glittering feathersof the chin are smooth mortem change,if any, hasbeen slight. and are of the same color as the lateral and Comparisonof C. bracei and C. ricordii.--The posteriorgorget feathers.When viewed head- type of C. braceiis unquestionablymale (Chlo- on in direct light, the brilliant reflectanceof rostilbonare highly sexuallydichromatic). Chlo- the gorget of C. ricordiiextends posteriorly to rostilbonbracei has a significantly shorter wing the lower breast;the breastand belly are of the but a longer bill (two-tailed t-test, P < 0.0001) samecolor as the gorget and only slightly less than males of the Bahaman and Cuban popu- glittering. In C. braceithe pale green brilliance lations of C. ricordii (Table 1). The tail of the of the gorget ends on the upper breastand con- type of C. braceiis in molt. The lower mandible trastswith the bronzy green breast and belly, of C. braceiis entirely dark. A small percentage the feathersof which have extensivepale gray of male C. ricordii have dark lower mandibles; bases and narrow gray borders. The feather the majorityhave lower mandiblesthat are pale basesof male C. ricordiiare dark gray. The un- basally(number of maleshaving a dark lower dertail coverts of male C. ricordii are white and mandible: Bahamas, 0 of 38; Cuba, 1 of 79). A nearly immaculate; those of C. braceiare pale characteristicof C. braceinot noted previously gray with buffy white borders. The tail of the is the forward extension of feathering past the type of C. bracei,which was being replaced,re- anterior edge of the nasal flange (Fig. 2). In a sembles that of C. ricordii and C. swainsonii of large seriesof C. ricordii(USNM, males,n = 81; Hispanolain having bronzy green central rec- females, n = 34) the feathering extends for- trices(those of C. maugaeusare blue black, like ward, without exception,only to the posterior the other rectrices). one- to two-thirdsof the nasalflange, which is In summary, Chlorostilbonbracei is a smaller also more inflated than in C. bracei. The nasal bird, with a longer bill, and plumage that is featheringof other WestIndian Chlorostilbon(C. distinctly different from C. ricordii.On this ba- maugaeus,n = 42; C. swainsonii,n = 16) is some- sis C. braceimust be regarded as a valid species what intermediate in this respect. known from a single specimen from New Plumage differencesbetween C. braceiand C. Providence and now presumed extinct. 300 GRAVESANDOLSON [Auk,Vol. 104

evidence demonstrates that a small Chlorostilbon was present on New Providence in the Pleis- tocene,which further supportsour contention that C. bracei was resident on New Providence and not a vagrant. Status of Chlorostilbon ricordii aeneoviridis.--Geographicvariation amongisland populationsof C. ricordiiis minor. Palmerand Riley (1902) comparedpopulations from Cuba and A B C Abacoand distinguishedthe latter asa separate species, Ricordia aeneoviridis:"The bird from Abacois of a more copperygreen both above Fig. 3. Left humeriof hummingbirdscompared: and below than the bird from Cuba. In the (A) Philodiceevelynae; (B) Pleistocenefossil from New Abaco bird the bill is slenderer, the fork of the Providenceprobably referable to Chlorostilbonbracei; (C) C. ricordiifrom Andros. Arrows indicate the areas tail lesspronounced, and the middle tail feathers broader than in Cuban birds; also the tail of majorapparent differences between the fossiland C. ricordii;e = ectepicondylarprocess, v = ventral of ricordiiis not copperybronze asin the Abaco tubercle.Scale in mm.Photograph by VictorE. Krantz, birds." Bonhote (1903) noted that the middle Smithsonian Institution. rectricesof the Abacospecimens were slightly broaderand the tail more copperybronze than in Cuban specimensbut that the differences Fossilrecord of Chlorostilbon bracei.--The pa- did not seemto be consistentat the subspecific leontological record substantiatesthe occur- level. In a large seriesof specimensfrom Abaco rence of Chlorostilbon on New Providence. Sev- (including the type of aeneoviridis),Andros, eral specimensof Trochilidae were obtained Grand Bahama, and Cuba we found that differ- from a Pleistocenesink depositon New Prov- encesbetween populations in the length of the idence (Olson and Hilgartner 1982). Two of tail fork, rectrix width, and plumagecolor are these, a humerus and an ulna, were referred to subsumedby intrapopulationalvariation. We Chlorostilbonricordii, as they were similarin size considerthe Cubanand Bahamanpopulations to that speciesand markedly different from of Chlorostilbonto be monotypicand thus place Philodiceevelynae, the only otherhummingbird Ricordiaaeneoviridis Palmer and Riley, 1902,in expectedon New Providence. With the discov- the synonomyof C. ricordii(Gervais, 1835). ery of the distinctivenessof C. bracei,we compared these specimenswith four skeletonsof DISCUSSION Chlorostilbon ricordii from Andros. The fossilhumerus is slightly smallerthan It is curiousthat Bracewas the only person any of the modern series,while the fossil ulna to have encountered Chlorostilbon on New is near the minimum size of C. ricordii(Table Providence.Bryant (1859) failed to find it dur- 2). Becauseof the smallsample size, the differ- ing a 4-month stay20 yr earlier. Bracewrote to ence is not significant, but the smaller size of Baird(26 January1879) that "Prof. Cory of Bos- the fossils correlate well with the smaller size ton [was]returning to your city by this steamer of the type of C. bracei. after some5 weeksstay [in the Bahamas]with There are also some qualitative differences very good resultshe informs me." One may between the fossil humerus and those of C. ri- imaginethat Bracetold Cory exactlywhere the cordii(Fig. 3). The ectepicondylarprocess in typeof C. braceiwas obtained, yet neitherCory C.bracei is practicallyperpendicular to the shaft, nor any subsequent collector obtained the whereasin C. ricordiiit isangled strongly proxi- specieson New Providence.A smallpopulation mally;and the ventral tubercle is decidedly more of C. braceiapparently survived undetected in gracileand doesnot slopeas stronglydistally. the impenetrablecoppice surrounding the town If these differences are consistent, the fossil of Nassauuntil Brace'sdiscovery in 1877,but Chlorostilbonfrom New Providence could be re- disappearedsoon afterwards. The causeof its garded as specificallydistinct from C. ricordii extinction is not dear. and tentatively referred to C. braceœThe fossil Changes in dimate since the Wisconsinan April 1987] ExtinctHummingbird 301 glaciationhave been postulatedas a majorcause Graveswas partly supportedby a grant from the Re- of vertebrate extinction in the Bahamas and searchOpportunities Fund of the Smithsonian Insti- elsewherein the West Indies (Pregill and Ol- tution. We thank Richard L. Zusi for long hours of son 1981, Olson 1982). Fossils of an undeter- discussion. mined hummingbird speciesfrom New Provi- dence exceeded both Chlorostilbon and Philodice LITERATURE CITED in size (Olson and Hilgartner 1982). These specimens represent a species that is also ex- ALLEN, G. M. 1905. Summer birds in the Bahamas. tinct in the Bahamas.The paleontologicalevi- Auk 22: 113-133. dencesuggests New Providencemay have had BOND, J. 1936. Birds of the West Indies. Philadel- as many as three contemporaneousspecies of phia, Academy of Natural Sciences. hummingbirds.Whatever precipitatedthe ex- ß 1940. Check-list of birds of the West Indies. tinction of C. braceiand the larger humming- Philadelphia,Academy of Natural Sciences. bird evidently had no noticeableeffect on Phi- ß 1945. Check-list of birds of the West Indies. lodice evelynae, which has been variously Philadelphia,Academy of Natural Sciences. describedover the past 125 yr as "common"or ß 1956. Check-list of birds of the West Indies. "abundant"on New Providence.Although hu- Philadelphia, Academyof Natural Sciences. man disturbance could have been a factor in BONHOTE,J. L. 1903. On a collection of birds from the extinction of C. bracei, the last remnant of the northern islandsof the Bahamagroup. Ibis set. 8, 3: 273-315. the speciessurvived on the mostpopulous is- BRYANT, H. 1859. A list of birds seen at the Baha- land of the archipelago. mas,from Jan.20, to May 14, 1859,with descrip- During the last glacial period, New Provi- tions of new or little known species.Boston Nat. dence was part of a much larger island that is Hist. Soc. Proc. 7: 1-32. now the Great Bahama Bank. There is no rea- CORY, C. B. 1880. Birds of the Bahama Islands. Bos- son to postulate that C. braceiwas an autoch- ton, publishedby the author. thonous endemic that arose on New Provi- ß 1886. The birds of the West Indies, includ- dence. Fossilsof it may be expected on other ing the BahamaIslands, the Greater Antilles, ex- cepting the islandsof Tobagoand Trinidad. Auk islandsof the Great BahamaBank, and perhaps 3: 337-381. elsewherein the Bahamas.During interglacial 1889. The birds of the West Indies. Boston, periods of the Pleistocenethe Bahamaswould Estes & Lauriat. have been inundatedto varying degrees,and --. 1890. Birds of the Bahama Islands, revised during the maximum rise in sea level would ed. Boston, Estes & Lauriat. have existed as a few small, scattered islets. 1891a. List of the birds collectedby C. L. Therefore,most of the apparentlyendemic ele- Winch in the CaicosIslands and Inagua, Baha- ments in the fauna are probably relicts of mas, during Januaryand February, and Abaco, speciesthat were distributedwidely in the West in March 1891. Auk 8: 296-298. Indies in the past. For example, the Bahama 1891b. List of the birds obtainedby Mr. C. S. Winch on the islands of Great Bahama and Mockingbird (Mimusgundlachii), which today occursoutside the Bahamasonly in a small,arid Abaco, Bahama Islands, during June, and on Eleutherain July, 1891. Auk 8: 350-351. portion of Jamaica,is known from Pleistocene 1918. Catalogue of birds of the Americas, fossils in Puerto Rico (Olson 1985). part 2, no. I. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Zool. Set. 13: Although Chlorostilbonbracei remains an 1-313. enigmatic bird, it should be restored as a full ELLIOT,D.G. 1878. A classificationand synopsisof speciesand taken into accountin analysesof the Trochilidae. Smithsonian Contrib. Know. 317: speciationand biogeographyof West Indian 1-277. birds. FRY, C.H. 1985. The effect of alcohol immersion on the plumage coloursof bee-eaters.Bull. Brit. Or- nithol. Club 105: 78-79. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS GRAVES,G. R. 1986. Systematicsof the gorgeted We thank the curatorsand staffof the Academyof woodstars (Trochilidae: Acestrura).Proc. Biol. Soc. Natural Sciencesof Philadelphia, American Museum Washington 99: 218-224. of Natural History, Field Museum of Natural Histo- LAWRENCE,G.N. 1877. Descriptionsof new species ry, and National Museum of Natural History (USNM) of birds of the families Trochilidae and Tetraon- for loaning specimensand for the use of collections. idae. Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 1: 50-52. 302 GR•VESAND OLSON [Auk, Vol. 104

NORTHROP,J. T. 1891. The birds of Andros Island, of West Indian vertebrates in relation to Pleis- Bahamas. Auk 8: 64-80. tocene climatic cyclesßAnn. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 12: OLSON,S. L. (Ed.) 1982. Fossil vertebrates from the 75-98. Bahamas. Smithsonian Contrib. Paleobiol. 48. RIDGWAY, R. 1891. List of birds collected on the Ba- ß 1985. Pleistocene birds of Puerto Rico. Natl. hama Islandsby the naturalistsof the Fish Com- Geogr.Res. Rept. 1977 Projects18: 563-566. mission steamer Albatrossß Auk 8: 333-339ß ß& W. B. HILGARTNER.1982. Fossil and subfos- 1911. The birds of North and Middle Amer- sil birds from the Bahamas. Smithsonian Contrib. icaßpart 5. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 50. Paleobiol. 48: 22-56. RILEYßJ.H. 1905. List of birds collected or observed PALMER,W., & J. H. RILEYß1902. Descriptions of during the Bahamas Expedition of the Geo- three new birds from Cuba and the Bahamas. graphic Societyof Baltimore.Auk 22: 349-360ß Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 15: 33-34. SALVIN,O. 1892. Catalogueof the birds in the Brit- PETERS,J.L. 1945. Check-list of birds of the world, ish Museum, vol. 16. vol. 5. CambridgeßMassachusettsß Harvard Univ. TODD, W. E. C., & W. W. WORTHINGTONß 1911. A Press. contribution to the ornithology of the Bahamas PREGILL,G. K., & S. L. OLSONß1981. Zoogeography IslandsßAnn. Carnegie Mus. 7: 388-464ß

The StandingCommittee on OrnithologicalNomenclature of the InternationalOrnithological Committee hasprepared a list of establishednames of avian family-group taxa (subtribesto superfamilies)and their synonymsas the first step in the processof writing an applicationto the International Commissionon Zoological Nomenclature to stabilize the use of these names. The SCON wishes to obtain input from all interestedornithologists and zoologistson this list of avian family-group namesand its proposedapplication to the ICZN. The list is available to interested ornithologistsand zoologistswho are willing to examine it carefully and provide the SCON with corrections,additionsß comments, and suggestions.This list of avian family-group names is unofficial and should not be used for any purposesother than that just mentioned. Copiesof the list may be obtainedby writing to ProfessorWalter J. Bock,Chairperson SCON, Department of BiologicalSciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10026USA.