BIRDS OF NOKTH AND MIDDLE AMEBICA. 181 



Genus POOECETES Baird. 



Poocxtes Baird. Rep. Pacific R. R. Surv. , ix, 1 858, 439, 447. (Type Fnngilla gram- 

 inea Gmelin.) , 



Pooeceto (emendation) B,\ird, Rep. Pacific R. R. Surv., ix, 1858, pp. xx, xxix. 

 (See Gill, Auk, xvi, Jan., 1899, 20. ) 



Pocecetes (emendation) Sclatbe, Proo. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1859, 379. 



Small, conspicuously streaked terrestrial Fringillidae with lateral 

 rectrices largely white, and with the tarsus decidedly longer than 

 middle toe with claw. 



Bill small (exposed culmen about half as long as tarsus), conical, 

 much deeper than broad at base, its basal depth less than distance from 

 nostril to tip of maxilla: culmen straight or even faintly depressed in 

 middle portion, gentlj^ convex terminally and basally; gonys straight, 

 about equal to or sometimes longer than basal depth of bill; maxillary 

 tomium faintly concave anteriorly', then faintly convex, its basal por- 

 tion slightly deflected; mandibular tomium straight to the well-defined 

 subbasal angle, its basal deflection more abrupt and decided than that 

 of the maxilla. Nostril small, triangular (apex forward), with broad 

 superior valve, nearly concealed by the frontal plumules. Rictal bristles 

 fairly distinct. Wing long (about four times as long as the rather long 

 tarsus), pointed (ninth to sixth primaries longest, the ninth equal 

 to or longer than sixth, sometimes almost longest); primaries exceed- 

 ing secondaries bj- about the length of the tarsus; tertials not pro- 

 duced beyond secondaries, or but slightly so. Tail about three-fourths 

 as long as wing, about one-half overlaid by upper coverts, emarginate, 

 the rectrices i-ather narrow. Tarsus about twice as long as exposed cul- 

 men, its scutella rather indistinct, especial^ on outer side; middle toe 

 with claw slightly shorter than tarsus; lateral claws reaching nearly or 

 quite to base of middle claw; hallux about as long as inner toe, its 

 claw slightl}'^ shorter than the digit. 



Coloration. — Conspicuously streaked above and below (except cen- 

 tral and posterior under parts), the lateral rectrices largely white; 

 adults with lesser wing-coverts reddish brown. 



Bange. — Temperate North America. (Monotypic.) 



This genus comes verj'' near to PasseTculuH^ but may be distiguished 

 by its relativelj' much longer wing and shorter tarsus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OP POOECETES. 



a. Larger (wing averaging more than 80.01 in male, more than 76.20 in female); 



coloration grayer above, more decidedly white below. 



h. Wing, lail, and tarsus shorter, bill stouter, color browner above, with dusky 



streaks usually broader, those on chest, etc., darker; wing averaging 81.03, 



tail <3l.21, tarsus 21.08, depth of bill 8.38 in male, 77.47, 58.93, and 7.87 in 



female. (Eastern North America. ) . . .Pooecetes gramineus gramineus (p. 182) 



