StellAr's Jay OK, Cyanocitta stellAri not OK

[munthe <munthe at color-country dot net>]

Hadn't checked birdnet lately, so just saw the Steller vs. Stellar
notes.  As a taxonomist (fossil mammals) I love these disputes.  Fact
is, if there are naming rules, in this jay's case the International Code
of Zoologic Nomenclature, the spelling has to be that of the accepted
first publication of the species even if that spelling appears to be
wrong.  So if in honoring Mr. Steller the author of the taxon had
misspelt his name, the species Cyanocitta stelleri would not exist.

	I guess this is why my more technical birding friends insist on the use
of scientific names.  Trouble is, I can't remember most of these names
and can't pronounce those I do remember.  At least if somebody writes
about a Stellar's (or Stellar, or Stelur, or . . .) Jay I know they're
referring to a big blue bird with a crest.  And I can always feel
comfortable calling a Long-tailed Duck what it really is: a politically
incorrect Oldsquaw.  Heck, a Norwegian's Oslo is a Swede's Christiania,
just as one man's Turkey Vulture is another man's old buzzard.

	Ah, what's in a name?  Let's try the pronunciation of Vaux, as in 
Vaux's Swift.  That should lead to a few fistfights!

Jens Munthe

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