BIEDS PRIN6ILLIDAE — POOSPIZA. 



469 



The wing is rounded ; the second quill longest, the third, fourth, and fifth, successively, a 

 little shorter ; the first longer than the sixth. Tail slightly rounded, and a little emarginate. 

 In the full spring dress there is no trace of any second color on the back, except an exceedingly 

 faint and scarcely appreciable wash of dull brownish over the whole upper parts. The markings 

 of the third tail feather vary somewhat in specimens. Sometimes the whole tip is margined 

 with brown ; sometimes the white extends to the end ; sometimes both webs are margined with 

 brown ; sometimes the outer is white entirely ; sometimes the brownish wash on the back is 

 more distinct. 



List of specimens. 



POOSPIZA, Cab an is. 



Poospiza, Cabanis, Wiegmann's ArchiT, 1847, i, 349. (Type Emberiza nigro-rufa, Orb., or Pipilo personaia, Sw.) 



Ch. — Bill slender, conical, both outlines gently curved. Under jaw wilh the edges considerably inflected ; not so hig^ as the 

 upper. Tarsi elongated, slender ; considerably longer than the middle toe, Toes short, weak ; the outer decidedly longer than 

 the inner, but not reaching to the base of the middle claw. Hind toe about equal to the middle without its claw. All the claws 

 compressed and moderately curved. Wings rather long, reaching about over the basal fourth of the exposed portion of the 

 rather long tail. Tertiaries and secondaries about equal, and not much shorter than the lengthened primaries ; the second to 

 fifth about equal and longest ; the first considerably shorter, and longer than the seventh. Tail long, slightly emarginate, 

 graduated ; the outer feather abruptly shorter than the others. Feathers broad, linear, and rather obliquely truncate at the 

 ends, with the corners rounded. 



Color. — Uniform above, without streaks. Beneath white, with or without a black throat. Black and white stripes on the 

 bead. 



In the selection of Cabanis's genus Poospiza, for the present group, I follow Mr. Sclater. 

 One of the species has the throat white, the other black. 



Oomparatime measwrements of species. 



