FKINGILLID J': — THE FINCUES. 



589 



Mr. J. A. Allen mentions first meeting- with this species at an elevation 

 of seven thousand feet, and from that lieiL^ht it was conuiiun, on the slopes 

 of Mount Lincoln, to the extreme limit of the timber line. 



Gesus POOSPIZA, Cabanis. 



Poospiza, Cabanis, Wiegmanirs Aiuhiv, 1S47, i, 34'J. (Tyiu;, Emliriza nujro-ru/a, D'OuB., 

 or Pipilo jKrsonata, Sw.) 



uer ja«" \vi 



Gen. Char. Bill .^lender, coiiioal, both outlines gently curved. Un 

 edges considerably inflected ; not so high as the up- 

 per. Tarsi elongated, slender ; considerably longer 

 than the middle toe. Toes short, weak ; the outer 

 decidedly longer than the inner, but not reaching 

 to the base of the middle claw. Hind toe about 

 equal to the middle without its claw. All the 

 claws compressed and moderately curved. Wings 

 rather long, reaching about over the basal fourth 

 of the exposed portion of the rather long tail. 

 Tertiaries and secondaries about equal, and not 

 much shorter than the lengthened primaries; the 

 second to fifth about equal and longest; the first 

 considerably shorter, and longer than the seventh. 

 Tail long, slightly eraarginate, graduated ; the outer 

 feather abruptly shorter than the others. Feathers 

 broad, linear, and rather obliquely truncate at the ends, with the corners rounded. 



Color. Uniform above, without streaks. Beneath white, with or without a 

 throat. Black and white stripes on the head. 



ih the 



Poospiza bitimata. 



black 



We are by no means sure that tlie two Nortli American specimens here 

 indicated reall}' belong to tlie genus Poospiza, luit we know no better position 

 for tliem. They niaj' be distinguished as f(.)llo\vs : — 



Common Characters. Lores and beneath the eye black, a white orbital ring, 

 white spot above the lore (in hilineata continued back in a superciliary stripe) ; 

 a white ma.xillary stripe. Lateral tail-feathers, with outer web. and terminal 

 liorder of inner, hoary or pure white. 



A. Throat black in adult ; sides not streaked. 



.1 coniinuons white superciliary stripe. 



1. P. bilineata. Black patch of throat covering jugulum, with a 

 conve.K outline behind. (Jrown and back without streaks, concolored. 

 Wins-coverts without white bands; lesser covert.s ash. Wing, 2.75; 

 tail, 2.85 ; bill, from nostril, .,'57 ; tarsus, .G5. 



Kn irliite siipprciliarij stripe. 



2. P. mystacalis. Black patch of throat not extending on jugulum; 

 its posterior outline truncated. Crown and back with distinct Mack- 

 streaks. Back scapulars and rump rufous in contrast with the ash of 

 head and neck. Wing-coverts with two nai'row, sharply defined white 

 bands ; lesser coverts black. Wing, 2.80 ; tail, .3.30 ; bill, .40 ; tarsus, 

 .80. Hah. Mexico. 



