FRIXGILLIDJi — TUE FIXCHES. 



545 



The essential character of the genus consists in the long and pointed wings, 

 longer tlian the tail and without long tertials ; and the rather stiff, forked 

 tail, with its acute feathers. But one species is recognized at present. 



Poocsetes gramineus, Raird. 



GRASS SPAEKOW ; BAY-WINGED BUNTING. 



J 



Var. sraniiueus. 



Fringilla gramiiica, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 922. — AuD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 473 ; V, 502, 

 l<\. xc. EinbcHza gramima, Wilson, Am. Om. IV, 1811, 51, pi. x.x.xi, f. 5. — AuD. 

 Syn. 1839, 102. —Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 65, pi. clix. — M.4x. Cab. Jour, vi, 1858, 

 342. Fringilla (Zonotrichia) graminea, Swainson, F. B. Am. II, 1831, 254. Zono- 

 trichia gramima, BoN. Li.st, 1838. — lu. Conspectus, 1850, 478. PoocmUs gramineus, 

 Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 447. — Samuels, 303. 



Above light yellowisli-brown ; the feathers 



Sp. Cdar. Tail-featliers ratlicr acute, 

 everywhere streaked abruptly with 

 dark browu, even on the sides of the 

 neck, which are paler. Beneath yel- 

 lowish (sometimes reddish) white ; 

 on the jugulum and sides of neck 

 and body streaked with brown. A 

 faint light superciliary and maxillary 

 stripe ; the latter margined above 

 and below with dark brown : the up- 

 per stripe continued around the ear- 

 covcrt.5, which are darker than the 

 brown color ckewliere. Wings with 

 the shoulder light chestnut-brown, 

 and with two dull whitish bands along the ends of the coverts ; the outer edge of the 

 secondaries also is white. Exposed portion of outer tail-feather, and edge and tip of the 

 second, wliite. Length, about G.2.5 ; wing, 3.10 ; tail, 2..50 ; bill, .33 from frontal feathers 

 to point, by .33 in depth at base ; tarsus, .72. Bill yellow, dusky above ; legs 3'ellow. 

 (Measurement of No. 10,147 ^, Washington, D. C.) 



Hab. Eastern Province of United States. 



PoorfTtcs gramineus. 



Yar. confinis* 



I'ooccc/a grmnitii-Hn, var. confinis, Baikd, Birds N. Am. 1858, p. 448 (in text under P. gra- 

 mineus). Pooccdcs griiininats. Cooper & Suck LEY, 200. — Coopek, Orn. Cal. 1, ISO. 



Sp. Char. Resembling P. gramineus, but colors paler, the dark streaks narrower. 

 Bill more slender, tarsi longer. (Measurement of 40,803 ^, Fort Whipple, Arizona: 

 Bill, .36 from point of frontal feathers by .25 in depth through Ijase; tarsus, .78; wing, 

 3.3.5 ; tail, 2.80). 



Hab. Western and Middle Provinces of United States, south into Mexico; Oaxaca 

 (ScL. 1859,379; March). 



This species is readily identified by the ab.sence of a median stripe on the 



head, tlie chestnut-brown of the shoulder, and the wliite lateral tail-feathers. 



The young birds ha\e tlie ground-color above more wliitisli, tlie streaks 



blacker, in sliarjjer contrast ; the streaks on jugulum, etc., less sliarply de- 



69 



