470 



U. S p. E. E. EXP. AND SUEVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENEEAL EEPOET. 



POOSPIZA BILINEATA, Sclater. 



Black-throated Sparrow. 



Emberiza bilineata, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. Ph. V.Oct. 1850, 104, pi. iii, Texas.— Ib. Illust. I, v, 1854, 150 ; pi x.xiii. 

 Poospha bilineata, Sclater, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1857, 7. 



Sp Ch. — Above uniform unspotted ashy gray, tinged with light brown ; purer and more plumbeous anteriorly. Under parts 

 white, tinged with plumbeous on the sides, and with yellowish brown about the thighs. A sharply defined superciliary and 

 maxillary stripe of pure white, the former margined internally with black. Loral region black, passing insensibly into dark 

 slale on the ears. Chin and throat between the wliite maxillary stripes black, ending on the upper part of the breast in a 

 rounded outline Tail black, edged externally with white. Bill blue. Length, 5.40 ; wing, 2.75 ; tail, 2.90. 



Hab. — Valley of Rio Grande and of Gila. (As far west as Janos and the Mohave villages.) 



This species in external form is very similar to P. belli, and will probably fall in the same 

 genus. The cutting edges of the bill are much inflexed. The first quill is shorter than the 

 sixth. The tail is a good deal rounded ; the feathers broad. 



The white maxillary stripe does not come quite to the base of the under jaw, which there is 

 black. There is a hoary tinge on the forehead. The white superciliary stripes almost meet on 

 the forehead. 



In the immature bird the throat is white, the upper part of the breast streaked with brown. 



List of specimens. 



POOSPIZA BELLI, Sclater, 



Bell's Finch. 



Emberiza belli, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. Pliila. V, Oct. 1850, 104 ; pi iv. San Diego, Cal. 

 Poospixa belli, Sclater, Pr. Zool. Soc. 1857, 7. 



Sp. Ch.— Upper parts generally, with sides of head and neck, uniform bluish ash, tinged with yellowish gray on the crown 

 and back, and with a few obsolete dusky streaks on the interscapular region. Beneath pure white, tinged with yellowish brown 

 on the sides and under the tail. Eyelids, short streak from the bill to above the eye, and small median spot at the base of bill, 

 •white. A stripe on the sides of the throat and spot on the upper part of the breast, wiih the loral space and region round the 

 eyes, plumbeous black. Tail feathers black ; tlie outer edged with white. Wing feathers all broadly edged with brownish 

 yellow ; the elbow joint tinged with yellowish green. Bill and feet blue. Length, 6.25 ; wing, 2.90. 

 . Hab. — Southern California and valley of Gila and Colorado to Fort Thorn. 



This remarkable sparrow needs comparison with no other known North American species for 

 its identification. The tail is very long and considerably emarginated, and the outer feather 



