488 U. S. PB. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
This section embraces a single North American genus, chiefly characterized by the remarkable 
elongation of the lateral toes, as well as by the peculiar shape and great size of all the claws ; 
the lateral, especially, are so much lengthened as to extend nearly as far as the middle. The 
only approach to this, as far as I recollect, among United States Conirostres, is in Pipilo mega- 
lonyx, and Agelaius icterocephalus. 
PASSERELLA, Swainson. 
Passerella, Swainson, Class. Birds, II, 1837, 288. Type Fringilla iliaca, Merrem. 
Cu.—Body stout. Bill conical, not notched, the outlines straight ; the two jaws of equal depth; roof of upper mandible 
deeply excavated, and vaulted ; not knobbed. Tarsus scarcely longer than the middle toe; outer toe little longer than the 
inner, its claw reaching to the middle of the central one. Hind toe about equal to the inner lateral ; the claws all long, and 
moderatcly curved only ; the posterior rather longer than the middle, and equal to its toe. Wings long, pointed, reaching to 
the middle of the tail ; the tertials not longer than secondaries; second and third quills longest ; first equal to the fifth. Tail 
very nearly even, scarcely longer than the wing. Inner claw contained scarcely one-and-a-half times in its toe proper. 
Color.—Rufous or slaty ; obsoletely streaked or uniform above ; thickly spotted with triangular blotches beneath. 
The following species constitute the known members of the genus from the United States : 
Back, breast, and sides of neck and body streaked distinctly with light brownish red ; of 
whicht color are tho wings andutall ccancmessecsac ce cscdestosbeedcnccsecerersenerssectr Teceeentcsceelrtiaeds. 
Wings and tail dark brownish rufous; rest of upper parts uniform olivaceous rufous. Under 
parts with thickly crowded, more or less confluent, spots of the same................P. townsendit. 
Wings and tail dark brownish rufous ; rest of upper parts uniform slate gray. The under 
parts with distinct triangular spots of the same.......sescecoocecccsssceersecrescerorsseesed« SCRISLACE. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
é Sis ere Ss aS |e 
A 2 ¥ a 2 oie 8 = a 2 > =] ” 
aft] Species. Locality. = eo (og = isi ees = | Specimen 
ea 4 = sl, Z' = asa Ss = | measured. 
5 | n | 3 Pee lite daliissticcial seta) tte || 
831 | Passerella iliaca 6.34 0.90 | 0.28 | 0.70 | 0.34 | 0.42 | 0.53| Skin ....0. 
dO. eeeeeeee dO. cc sccee 6.82 eulncin'elliccesitin|(acisicica|eaisiecle cnccee| coves Fresh <<. 
1323 | cciveecies Orcs vcccccccce 6.50 0.92 | 0.28 | 0.70 | 0.36 | 0.47 | 0.50 | Skin ...00e 
dos! Tececcet DO vcceeve ceeees 7.42 |11.25 | 3.50 |.cccccleccces|ooceee |eccccsleccccelecceve|secseelssece Fresh . ss. 
2874 | Passerella townsendii 6.70 0.95 | 0.32 | 0.78 | 0.42 | 0.46 | 0.51 | Skin...... 
Py Ol Gooodund COBeecnenogocogod 6.76 1.01 | 0.38 | 0.83 | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.61 | Skin...... 
10277 | Passerella schistacea? . 3o | 6,90 1.00 | 0.35 | 0.79 | 0.42 | 0.50 | 0.60 | Skin...... 
10280 Passerella schistacea... Q | 6.82 1 00") 0.40 | 0.83 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.56 | Skin...... 
TYE) Badoaned AO. = scccewcences 3 6.80 0.87 | 0.26 | 0.73 | 0.38 | 0.50 | 0.56 | Skin...... 
PASSERELLA ILIACA, Swainson. 
Fox-colored Sparrow. 
Fringilla iliaca, Merrem. ‘ Beitr. zur besond. Gesch. der Vogel, If, 1786-’87, 40; pl. x.”,—Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 
1788, 923.—Aup. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 58: V, 512; pl. 108.—Is. Syn. 1839.—Is. Birds Amer. 
III, 1841, 139 ; pl. 186. e 
Passerella iliaca, Sw. Birds, II, 1837, 288.—Bow. List, 1838.—Is. Conspectus, 1850, 477. 
Fringilla rufa, Witson, Am. Orn. III, 1811, 53; pl. xxiv, f. 4.—Licnur. Verz. 1823, No. 248. 
Fringilla ferruginea, Wiison, Catalogue, VI, 1812.—Hall’s ed. Wilson, II, 255. 
“« Emberiza pratensis, Vieiwi.’’ Gray. 
Sp. Cx.—Middle of the back dull ash, each feather with a large blotch of brownish red; top of head and neck, with rump 
similar, but with smaller and more obsolete blotches. Upper tail coverts, with exposed surface of wings and tail, bright rufous. 
