The Key to Scientific Names
- ABROSCOPUS
(Scotocercidae; Ϯ Yellow-bellied Warbler A. superciliaris) Gr. αβρος abros delicate, graceful; σκοπος skopos seeker < σκοπεω skopeō to examine; "Genus ABROSCOPUS, nom. nov. Abrornis auct., e.g. Stuart Baker, Fauna Brit. Ind. Birds, vol. ii, p. 293, Apl. 1924; not Abrornis Hodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc., p. 82, 1844. Only species determinable = Regulus modestus, a synonym of Phylloscopus. Not Abrornis Hodgs., type designated by Gray, Cat. Gen. Subgen. Birds, p. 35, 1855: A. erochroa = a synonym of Phylloscopus pulcher" (Stuart Baker 1930) (OD per Björn Bergenholtz); "Abroscopus Stuart Baker, 1930, Fauna Brit. India, Birds, ed. 2, 7, p. 192. Type, by subsequent designation (Hartert and Steinbacher, 1934, Vögel Pal. Fauna, Ergänzungsband, p. 239), Abrornis superciliaris Blyth." (Watson in Peters 1986, XI, 263) (see Abrornis).
Synon. Abrornis, Blythoscopus.- ANTHOSCOPUS
(Remizidae; Ϯ Southern Penduline Tit / Cape Penduline Tit A. minutus) Gr. ανθος anthos blossom, flower; σκοπος skopos searcher < σκοπεω skopeō to spy out; "Gen. ANTHOSCOPUS nov. gen. *) Blüthenpicker. 495. 1. A. minutus Nob. — Bloem-piker Jndig. — Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afr. tab. 134. — Sylvia minuta Shaw. Nat. Misc. tab. 997. — Sylvia anthophila Boie. — Parus fuscus Vieill. errore **) Aegithalus Smithi Jard. Selb. Jll. Orn. tab. 113. fig. I. — Aegithalus pensilis Hartl. System. Verzeichn. 1844. p. 34. Drymoica minuta Gray Gen. Birds No. 12. — Paroides Smithii Gray Gen. Birds No. 3. — Paroides pensilis Gray l. c. No. 4. ... *) Von ανθος, Blüte und σκοπος, Späher. Im Schnabel und der Gestalt der vorhergehenden Gattung [Remiz] sehr nahekommend, sind doch die Flügel- und Fussbildung verschieden und deuten auf eine abweichende Lebensart. Flügel schwächer, abgerundeter, mit längerer erster Schwinge; Zehen gleichfalls schwächer mit weniger entwickelten Nägeln. Als 2te Art wird wahrscheinlich hierher gehören: A. capensis. — Parus capensis Gm. Sonnerat. Voy. tab. 112. — **) Dass Parus fuscus Vieill. als Synonym hierher gestellt wird, beruht doch wohl einfach auf einem Druckfehler in der Encycl. mèth., wo statt tab. 139 die tab. 134 citirt wird. — (zu vergl. d. Anmerk. weiter unten bei Parus cinerascens.)" (Cabanis 1853); "Anthoscopus Cabanis, 1853, Museum Heineanum, I, p. 89. Type, by subsequent designation (G. Gray, 1855, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 38), Sylvia minuta Shaw, i.e. Shaw and Nodder, 1812." (JAJ 2021).
Var. Anthroscopus.
Synon. Aegithalus, Rhaphidornis.- archiepiscopus
Late L. archiepiscopus archbishop < Gr. αρχω arkhō to guide; episcopus bishop < Gr. επισκοπος episkopos overseer; "Le nom d'Archevêque, que nous avons donné à l'espèce dont nous traitons dans cet article, indique les rapports de ressemblance qui existe entre cette espèce et celle du Tangara évêque [Tangara episcopus], et en même temps une sorte de supériorité dans l'éclat des couleurs de son plumage" (Desmarest 1806) (syn. Tangara ornata).
- Blythoscopus
(Scotocercidae; syn. Abroscopus † Yellow-bellied Warbler P. superciliaris flaviventris) Edward Blyth (1810-1873) English zoologist, Curator of Mus. of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta; genus Phylloscopus Boie, 1826, warbler; undoubtedly a lapsus for Phylloscopus, as noted by Richmond, 1917, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 53, no. 2221, p. 579, but included in The Key because of the disparate etymology; “Blythoscopus superciliaris TICKELL, Journ. as. Soc. Bengal 1859. 453. ... Blythoscopus Tickell = Regulus flaviventris Gr.” (Giebel, 1877, Thesaurus Ornithologiae, III, pp. 415, 789 (Appendix)).
- Cladoscopus
Gr. κλαδος klados twig; σκοπος skopos seeker, watcher < σκοπεω skopeō to watch out.
● (Furnariidae; syn. Dendrexetastes † Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper D. rufigula) "CIX. Cladoscopus RCHB. Nat. Syst. t. sppl. — Schnabel dick, kopflang oder kürzer, breit; Unterrand des Unterschnabels ohne vortretendes Kinn seicht aufsteigend, nebst der Firste in die gerade, abgekürzte Spitze übergehend, also kurzer Häherschnabel. ... 465. C. Temminickii [sic] (Dendrocolaptes — LAFR. Rev. 1851. 145. pl. 4.) RCHB. t. DXXXVI. 3680. ... 466. C. Perrotii (Dendrocolaptes — LAFR. Rev. 1844. 80. 1850. 101. Mag. Zool. 1844. pl. 54.) RCHB. t. DXXXV. 3675. ... 467. C. Devillei (Dendrocolaptes — LAF. Rev. 1850. 102.) RCHB." (Reichenbach 1853); "Cladoscopus Reichenbach, 1853, Das natürliche System der Vögel, Scansoriae, A. Sittinae, p. 192. Type, by subsequent designation (G. Gray, 1855, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 28), Dendrocolaptes Temminckii, Lafr., 1851 = Dendrocolaptes rufigula Lesson, 1844." (JAJ 2020).
● (Picidae; syn. Sphyrapicus † Williamson's Sapsucker S. thyroideus) "Gen CLADOSCOPUS *) Nob. — Wechsel-Buntspecht. Pilumnus Bp. 1854 (nec Leach 1815). Sphyrapicus (!) Baird 1858. Sphyropicus (!) Scl. & Salvin 1859. 214.—1. C. varius Nob. Picus varius Lin. Syst. Nat. I. p. 176. 20. ... 215.—3. C. ruber Nob. *) Für die typischen Formen dieser Gattung, für die wir anstatt der beiden vorhandenen unbrauchbaren den neuen aus κλαδος (Zweig) und σκοπεω (spähen) zusammengesetzten Namen Cladoscopus vorzuschlagen genöthigt waren, passte auch wohl recht gut die deutsche Benennung "Blut-Buntspecht", während dieselbe für die ganze Gruppe im weitern Sinne d. h. in Verbindung mit P. Williamsoni Newberry und gar mit P. thyroideus Cassin nicht anwendbar ist. ... Als drei weitere Arten der Gattung treten zu den beiden im Texte aufgeführten: 2. C. nuchalis Nob. ... 4. C. Williamsoni Nob. ... 5. C. thyroideus Nob." (Cabanis & Heine 1863); "Cladoscopus Cabanis and Heine, 1863, Museum Heineanum, IV (2), p. 80 (not of Reichenbach, 1853). New name for Pilumnus Bonaparte, 1854, not of Leach, 1815, and for Sphyrapicus Baird, 1858, and Sphyropicus P. Sclater and Salvin, 1859, both considered barbarous. " (JAJ 2021).
Var. Cladocopus.- CNEMOSCOPUS
(Thraupidae; Ϯ Grey-hooded Tanager C. rubrirostris) Gr. κνημος knēmos mountain-slope; σκοπος skopos searcher, watcher < σκοπεω skopeō to watch out; the Grey-hooded Tanager was described from the temperate Andes of Colombia; "CNEMOSCOPUS, gen.nov. Type.—Arremon rubrirostris Lafresnaye. Characters.—Similar to Hemispingus in form and in shape of bill; legs much shorter - wing four and one quarter times the length of the tarsus (three and one half times in Hemispingus); coloration decidedly different from any of the species in the genus Hemispingus, the red bill, gray head, and yellowish green body being very distinctive. Except for the more slender, red bill, the general appearance suggests the genus Eucometis." (Bangs & Penard 1919); "Cnemoscopus Bangs and Penard, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 43, p. 38, 1919—type, by orig. desig., Arremon rubrirostris Lafresnaye." (Hellmayr, 1936, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. IX, p. 417).
- DRYOSCOPUS
(Malaconotidae; Ϯ Black-backed Puffback D. cubla) Gr. δρυς drus, δρυος druos tree; σκοπος skopos watcher, look-out < σκοπεω skopeō to inspect; "IX. Fam. Myiotheridae. ... Dryoscopus: Lanius cubla Vaill. Afr. pl. 72 1, 2. [u.] s. w." (Boie 1826); "Dryoscopus Boie, 1826, Isis von Oken, col. 973. Type, by monotypy, Lanius cubla Shaw." (Rand in Peters, 1960, IX, p. 316).
Var. Drioscopus.
Synon. Chaunonotus, Entomophagus, Entomovorus.- episcopus
Late L. episcopus bishop < Gr. επισκοπος episkopos guardian, teacher, overseer; ref. black cap, or purple or blue plumage.
● ex “Héron de la côte de Coromandel” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 906, and “Héron violet” of de Buffon 1770-1785. "Bishop Stork, Parson-bird ...In the adult, the hindhead and neck are white, with a black 'parson's cap'" (Hancock et al. 1992) (Ciconia).
● “Bishop Hermit ...in this little section of the Phaethorni the males of some of the species have their breasts crossed by a distinct patch of lengthened purplish-black plumes” (Gould 1861) (Phaethornis).
● Dr Louis B. Bishop (fl. 1911) US physician, ornithologist (syn. Sialia sialis fulva).
● ex “Evesque” or “Episcopus avis” of Brisson 1760; “It is called by the inhabitants of Cayenne, L’Evêque” (Latham 1783) (Thraupis).- Episcopus
(Thraupidae; syn. Tangara † Blue-grey Tanager T. episcopus) This name, listed by Waterhouse, 1889, Index Generum Avium, p. 73, as if by Brisson, 1760, Ornithologie, III, p. 40, is not generic but a singular vernacular for this tanager. Laurent Raty in litt., has correctly pointed out that only the names in Latin texts included on the even-numbered pages of Brisson, I, pp. 27-61 (Table Méthodique) are available in modern nomenclature.
- hygroscopus
Gr. ὑγρος hugros wet, moist, liquid; σκοπος skopos seeker < σκοπεω skopeō to watch.
- hyloscopus
Gr. ὑλοσκοπος huloskopos watching over woods < ὑλη hulē woodland; σκοπος skopos watcher < σκοπεω skopeō to watch out.
- Hyloscopus
(Picidae; syn. Dryobates † Nuttall's Woodpecker D. nuttallii) Gr. ὑλοσκοπος huloskopos watching over woods < ὑλη hulē woodland; σκοπος skopos watcher < σκοπεω skopeō to watch out (cf. specific name Dryobates hyloscopus Cabanis & Heine, 1863 ("aus ὑλα (Holz) und σκοπεω (spähen)") (= syn. Leuconotopicus villosus harrisi)); "1. D. Nuttalli Nob. Picus Nuttallii Gambel Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. I (1843), p. 259 ... Hyloscopus Nuttalli Cab. & Heine in MS." (Cabanis & Heine 1863); "Hyloscopus Cabanis and Heine, 1863, Museum Heineanum, IV (2), p. 75. Type, by monotypy, Picus nuttallii Gambel, 1843." (JAJ 2021).
Var. Hylocopus (Gr. ὑλη hulē woodland, forest; κοπος kopos striking).- Laiscopus
(Prunellidae; syn. Prunella † Alpine Accentor P. collaris) Gr. λαες laes stones < λαος laos stone; σκοπος skopos scout, lookout < σκοπεω skopeō to spy out; "Hierher gehört der Fluh- oder Flüevogel der Alpen, häufig auch Flüelerche genannt. (Laïscopus s. Accentor alpinus.) Er hat ziemlich die Gestalt und Größe, so wie oberhalb die Zeichnung einer Feldlerche, nur eine mehr asch- oder steingraue Farbe ... Seine Heimath erstreckt sich von den Alpenzügen Süd-europa's bis auf einige der höchsten Gipfel des Riesengebirges" (Gloger 1843); "Laiscopus Gloger, 1843, Gemein. Hand- und Hilfsbuch Naturgeschichte, I, p. 267. Type, by monotypy, Accentor alpinus = Motacilla alpina Gmelin, 1789 = Sturnus collaris Scopoli, 1769." (JAJ 2021).
- Myioscopus
(Petroicidae; syn. Petroica † South Island Robin P. australis) Gr. μυια muia, μυιας muias fly; σκοπος skopos watcher < σκοπεω skopeō to spy out; Reichenbach's 1850, plate LXVII, labelled Muscicapinae: Muscipetinae & Platyrhynchinae, shows Myioscopus just below Myiomoira, both with the heavily-bristled bill typical of flycatchers; "Myioscopus Reichenbach, 1850, Avium Systema Naturale, pl. LXVII (no specific names given). Type, by subsequent designation (G. Gray, 1855, Cat. Genera Subgenera Birds Brit. Mus., p. 37), Muscicapa albifrons Gm., i.e. Turdus albifrons Gmelin, 1789 = Turdus australis Sparrman, 1788." (JAJ 2021).
- OREOSCOPUS
(Acanthizidae; † Fernwren O. gutturalis) Gr. ορος oros, ορεος oreos mountain (i.e. north-eastern highlands of Queensland, Australia); σκοπος skopos watcher, guardian < σκοπεω skopeō to spy out; "Oreoscopus, gen. n. Generic Characters.—Bill long, straight, wide at base, equal in length from gape to tip, to length of head. Wing concave, rounded, and exceeding by one-fourth the length of the tail; the wing-formula similar to that of Sericornis. Tail slightly wedge-shaped at the end, feathers broad, the lateral ones with broad outer webs. Tarsus moderate, equal in length to the middle toe with claw, the lower three scutes very distinct. Type.—Sericornis gutturalis, De Vis, Proc. Roy. Soc., Queensland, vol. vi., p. 244 (1889) ... Mr. C. W. De Vis, M.A., from a single example, described a bird that inhabits the scrubs of the Herberton tablelands, also the higher peaks of the Bellender Ker Range in North-eastern Queensland ... Vernacularly, this species of insectivorous bird may be distinguished under the name of the Fern Wren" (North 1905) (OD per Björn Bergenholtz); "Oreoscopus North, 1905, Agric. Gazette New South Wales, 16, p. 247. Type, by monotypy, Sericornis gutturalis De Vis." (Mayr in Peters, 1986, XI, p. 411). The Fernwren was formerly treated as a Crateroscelis mouse warbler.
- PHYLLOSCOPUS
(Phylloscopidae; Ϯ Willow Warbler P. trochilus) Gr. φυλλον phullon leaf; σκοπος skopos seeker < σκοπεω skopeō to examine; "VI. Fam. Sylviadae Vigors. 1 ... Phylloscopus: Sylv. trochilus Lath. u.v.a. ... 1 Von der Lebensweise dieser Vögel weiß man so viel, daß sie blühende Gewächse aufsuchen und vom Blumensaste, gewiß auch von Insecten leben. Von den Trochiliden unterscheiden sie sich hauptsächlich durch die Bildung des Schwanzes, der überhaupt schwächer, und die größere Länge der Schwungfedern, wovon man auf einen ganz verschiedenen Flug schließen darf." (Boie 1826); "Phylloscopus Boie, 1826, Isis von Oken, col. 972. Type, by monotypy, Motacilla trochilus Linnaeus." (Watson in Peters, 1986, XI, p. 221) (see Blythoscopus).
Synon. Abrornis, Acanthopneuste, Asilus, Cryptigata, Cryptolopha, Cuculis, Culicipeta, Fanissa, Ficaria, Herbivocula, Mochthopoeus, Neornis, Oreopneuste, Phaeorhadina, Philomela, Phyllobasileus, Phyllopneuste, Pindalus, Pycnosphrys, Reguloides, Rhadina, Seicercus, Sibilatrix, Solifer, Sylvicola, Trocheligone, Trochilus, Zelica.- scopus
- Genus Scopus Brisson 1760, hammerkop.
- SCOPUS
(Scopidae; Ϯ Hamerkop S. umbretta) Gr. σκια skia shade, shadow; "Rostro crasso, longo. . .Recto, lateraliter plano; mandibulæ superioris apice adunco. . . .Scopus. Genus 82. ... Genus Scopi (1) Le genre de l'Ombrette.(1) ... (1) Scopus a σκια, id est, umbra: ab umbræ; unde nomen. ... (1) Ombrette. Je l'ai ainsi nommée, à cause de la couleur d'ombre, dont toutes ses plumes sont teintes" (Brisson 1760); “Scopus of Brisson ... he calls it Scopus ... a shade, and Ombrette from the general deep brown of its plumage” (Pennant 1773); "Scopus Briss. Gm. (umbretta Gm) ... Obs. nomen bene formatum: σκοπος, speculator" (Sundevall 1873) (Gr. σκοπος skopos watcher, guardian < σκοπεω skopeō to spy out); "Scopus Brisson, 1760, Ornithologie, I, p. 48: V, p. 503. Type, by monotypy, "Scopus" Brisson = Scopus umbretta Gmelin, 1789." (JAJ 2023).
Synon. Cepphus, Scops, Umbretta.