FRINGILLHXE THE FINCHES. 249 



d. Subgenus Oentronyx. Tail deeply emarginate, two and a half times as long as 

 the tarsus, the feathers narrow and attenuated, as in Coturniculus. Hind claw 

 nearly or quite as long as its digit. 



e. Subgenus Passerculus. Tail slightly emarginate, three times as long as the 

 tarsus, the feathers broad and scarcely attenuate, though acute at tips. Hind 

 claw shorter than its digit. 



Poocaetes. Tarsus longer than middle toe, with claw. Outer tail-feathers partly white. 



B. Tail longer and broader; nearly or quite as long as, sometimes a very little longer 

 than, the wings, which are rather lengthened. The primaries considerably longer 

 than the secondaries. None of the species streaked beneath, when adult, and only the 

 back and crown, or back alone, streaked above. (Spizelleae.) 



a. Tail rounded or slightly graduated. 



Chondestes. Tail considerably graduated. Lateral toes considerably shorter than 

 the middle toe, without its claw. Wings very long, decidedly longer than the 

 tail, reaching the middle of the tail. First quill longest. Head broadly striped 

 with chestnut Back streaked. White beneath. A white blotch on the end of 

 the tail-feathers. 



Z onotrichia. Tail rounded. Wings moderate, about as long as the tail, reaching 

 about over the basal fourth of the tail; first quill less than the second to 

 fourth. Feet large. Head striped with black and white or with brown and 

 ochraceous. Back streaked. 



Junco. Tail very nearly equal to the wings, slightly double-rounded. Outer 

 toe rather longer than inner, reaching the middle claw. No streaks anywhere 

 except in young; black or ash-color above; belly white; with or without a 

 rufous back and sides. Outer tail-feathers white. 



Amphispiza. Tail lengthened, rounded or slightly graduated; the feathers unusu- 

 ally broad to the end. Bill slender. Wings about as long as the tail, reaching 

 but little beyond its external base. Tertials broad, and, with the secondaries, 

 rather lengthened. Second to fifth quills nearly equal, and longest. Tail black. 

 Ashy brown above ; white beneath. Sides of head with stripes of black or 

 grayish and white. 

 5. Tail decidedly forked ; a little shorter than the wing, sometimes a little longer. 



Spizella. Size rather small. Wings long. Lower mandible largest Uniform be- 

 neath, or with a pectoral spot or the chin black. 



C. Tail lengthened and graduated; decidedly longer than the wings, which are very 

 short, scarcely extending beyond the external base of the taiL Feet reaching but 

 little beyond the middle of the taiL Species all streaked above; streaked or nearly 

 unicolor beneath. No white on wings or tail. Outer lateral toe the longer. First 

 quill not the shortest of the primaries. (Melospizeae.) 



Melospiza. Culmen and commissure nearly straight Claws stout; hinder one as 

 large as its digit Tail-feathers rather broad. Body streaked beneath (except 

 in M. georgiana). 



Peucaea. Culmen and commissure curved. Claws weak; hinder one not much 

 curved, decidedly shorter than its digit Tail-feathers narrow. Without 

 streaks beneath, excepting a narrow subrnaxillary stripe. 



D. Tail rather short, and much graduated; longer than the wings; the midrib more 

 median. Culmen curved. Tarsus considerably longer than middle toe. Outer toe 

 longer. But little difference in the length of the quills; the outer ones much 

 rounded; even the second quill is shorter than any other primary except the first. 

 (Embernagreae.) 



Embernagra. Color, plain olive-green above. 



