BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 165 



secondaries), emarginated, the middle rectrices pointed, more than half 

 hidden by the pointed upper coverts. Tarsus longer than middle toe 

 with claw, its scutella nearly obsolete; lateral claws not reaching base of 

 middle claw; hind claw about equal to its digit, slender, nearh' straight. 



Colors. — Conspicuously streaked above; tail white, with broad dusky 

 terminal band, the middle rectrices wholly dusky; adult male with 

 black forehead and jugular patch and chestnut patch on middle wing- 

 coverts. 



Range. — Interior plains of North America, east of Rockj^ Mountains. 

 (^Nlonotypic.) 



RHYNCHOPHANES McCOWNII (Lawrence). 

 McCOWN'S LONGSPUR. 



Tail (except middle pair of rectrices) white, ])roadly tipped with 

 dusk}'. 



Adult male in summer . — Forehead and anterior portion of crown, 

 more or less distinct rictal streak, and crescentic patch across chest, 

 black; posterior portion of pileum and hindneck pale brownish gray, 

 streaked with duskv, especiall}^ the former; back and scapulars pale 

 wood brown, or pale buffy brown, broadly streaked with dusky; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts grayer (especially the latter), less distinct!}' 

 streaked; more anterior lesser wing-coverts ash gray with dusky 

 (mostly concealed) centers; posterior lesser coverts and middle coverts 

 chestnut; rest of wing grayish dusky with pale brownish gray edg- 

 ings, the primaries narrowly edged with white (outer web of first pri- 

 mary almost entirel}' white), the greater coverts and secondaries 

 rather broadly (but not distinctly) tipped with white; middle pair of 

 rectrices dusky grayish brown margined with paler; rest of tail white, 

 broadly tipped with dull black, except outermost rectrices, where the 

 blackish, if present, is very much reduced in extent; under parts 

 (except chest) white, tinged with pale gray laterally, the plumage 

 deep gray beneath the surface; bill brownish, dusky at tip; iris lirown; 

 tarsi brown; toes dusky. 



Adult male in uynter. — Black areas concealed by broad tips to 

 feathers, brown on pileum, l)utfy on chest; otherwise not essentially 

 different from summer plumage. 



Adult female in summer. — Alcove, light buffy brown (pale wood 

 brown or Isabella color), streaked with blackish, the streaks broadest 

 on back and scapulars; wings dusky, with light buffy brown edgings 

 (broadest on greater coverts and tertials, narrower, paler and grayer 

 on primaries, and primary coverts), the middle coverts broadly tipped 

 with buffy, the lesser coverts pale brownish gray; tail as in adult 

 male; sides of head (including broad superciliary stripe) light dull 

 ])uff'y, relieved by a rather broad postocular streak of brownish; under 

 parts pale buffy, passing into white on abdomen and under tail-coverts; 

 a brown or dusky streak (submalar) along each side of throat. 



