FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 



545 



The essential character of the genus consists in the long and pointed wings, 

 longer than the tail and without long tertials ; and the rather stiff', forked 

 tail, with its acute feathers. But one species is recognized at present. 



Poocsetes gramineus, Baird. 



GRASS SPARROW ; BAY- WINGED BUNTING. 

 Var. gramineus. 



Fringilla grmniiica, G.M. Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 922. — Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 473; V, 502, 

 111. xc. Embcriza graminea, Wilson, Am. Oni. IV, 1811, 51, ])\. xxxi, f. 5. — Aud. 

 Syn. 1839, 102. —Ib. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, 65, pi. clix. — M.\x. Cab. Jour, vi, 18.58, 

 342. Fringilla {Zonotrichia) graviiiiea, Swainson, F. B. Am. II, 1831, 254. Zona- 

 trichia granmwa. Box. List, 1838. — Ib. Conspectus, 1850, 478. Pooccctcs gramineus. 

 Bated, Birds N. Am. 1858, 447. — Samuels, 303. 



Above light yellowish-brown ; the feathers 



Sp. Char. Tail-feathers i-ather acute, 

 everywhere streaked abruptly with 

 dark brown, even on the sides of the 

 neck, which are paler. Beneath yel- 

 lowish (sometimes reddish) white ; 

 on the jugulum and sides of neck 

 and body streaked with brown. A 

 faint light superciliary and maxillary 

 stripe ; the latter margined above 

 and below with dark brown : the up- 

 per stripe continued around the ear- 

 coverts, wliich are darker than the 

 brown coloi- elsewhere. Wings with 

 the shoulder light chestnut-brown, 

 and with two dull whitish bands along the ends of the coverts ; the outer edge of the 

 secondaries also is white. Exposed portion of outer tail-feather, and edge and tip of the 

 second, white. Length, about 6.2.5; wing, 3.10; tail, 2..50 ; bill, .33 from frontal feathers 

 to point, by .33 in depth at base; tarsus, .72. Bill yellow, dusky above; legs yellow. 

 (Measurement of No. 10,147 $, Washington, D. C.) 



Hab. Eastern Province of United States. 



Pooceetes gramineus. 



Var. confinis. 



Fooccetcs gramineus, var. confini.% Bauid, Birds N. Am. 1858, p. 448 (in text under P. gra- 

 mineus). Pooca'tes gravtineus, Coopkh & Suckley, 200. — Cooi'Eit, Orn. Cal. I, 186. 



Sp. Char. Resembling P. gramineus, but colors paler, the dark streaks narrower. 

 Bill more slender, tarsi longer. (Measurement of 40,803 ^, Fort Whipple, Arizona: 

 Bill, .3G from point of frontal feathers by .25 in depth through base; tarsus, .78; wing, 

 3.35 ; tail, 2.80). 



Hab. Western and Middle Provinces of United States, south into Mexico ; Oaxaca 

 (ScL. 18.59, 379 ; IMarcli). 



This species is readily identified by the absence of a median stripe on the 



head, the chestnut-brown of the shoulder, and the white lateral tail-feathers. 



The young birds have the ground-color above more whitish, the streaks 



blacker, in sharper contrast ; the streaks on jugulum, etc., less sharply de- 



69 



