BIEDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 181 



Genus POOECETES Baird. 



Poocsetes Baird, Rep. Pacific- R. R. Surv., ix, l.SoS, 439, 447. (Type FringiUa gram- 



inea Gmelin.) 

 Pooecetes (emendation) B.\ird, Rep. Pacific R. R. Surv., ix, 1858, pp. xx, xxix. 



(See Gill, Auk, xvi, Jan., 1899, 20.) 

 Pooecetes (emendation) Sclater, Proc. Zool. 8oc. Lend., 18.59, 379. 



Small, conspicuously streaked terrestrial Fring-illiclfv with lateral 

 rectrices largely white, and with the tarsus decidedl}^ longer than 

 middle toe with claw. 



Bill small (exposed culnien about half as long as tarsus), conical, 

 much deeper than broad at base, its basal depth less than distance from 

 nostril to tip of maxilla: culmen straight or even fainth' depressed in 

 middle portion, gently convex terminally and ])asally; gonvs straight, 

 about equal to or sometimes longer than l)asal depth of bill; maxillary 

 tomium faintly concave anteriorly, then faintly convex, its basal por- 

 tion slighth' deflected; mandibular tomium straight to the well-defined 

 subbasal angle, its basal deflection more abrupt and decided than that 

 of the maxilla. Nostril small, triangular (apex forward), with Ijroad 

 superior valve, nearly concealed ])y the frontal plunudes. liictal bristles 

 fairh' distinct. Wing long (about four times a.s long as the rather long 

 tarsus), pointed (ninth to sixth primaries longest, the ninth equal 

 to or longer than sixth, sometimes almost longest): primaries exceed- 

 ing secondaries by about the length of the tarsus: tertials not pro- 

 duced beyond secondaries, or but slightlv so. Tail a))out three-fourths 

 as long as wing, about one-half overlaid by upper coverts, emarginate, 

 the rectrices rather narrow. Tarsus about twice as long as exposed cul- 

 men, its scutella rather indistinct, especially on outer side; middle toe 

 with claw slightly shorter than tarsus; lateral claws reaching nearly or 

 quite to base of middle claw; hallux about as long as inner toe, its 

 claw slightly shorter than the digit. 



Coloration. — Conspicuously streaked above and beloAV (except cen- 

 tral and posterior under parts), the lateral rectrices largely white; 

 adults with lesser wing-coverts reddish brown. 



Range. — Temperate North America. (Monotj'pic.) 



This genus comes very near to Passe real us; ^ but may be distiguished 

 bv its relatively much longer wing and shorter tarsus. 



KEY TO THE 8PECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF POOECETES. 



a. Larger (wing averaging more than 80.01 in male, more tlian 76.20 in female); 



coloration grayer above, more decidedly white below. 



h. Wing, lail, and tarsus shorter, bill stouter, color browner a))ove, with dusky 



streaks usually broader, those on chest, etc., darker; wing averaging 81.03, 



tail 61.21, tarsus 21.08, depth of bill 8.38 in male, 77.47, 58.93, and 7.87 in 



female. (Eastern North America.) Pooecetes gramineus gramineus (p. 182) 



