_Poospiza_, CABANIS, Wiegmann’s Archiv, 1847, I, 349. (Type,
_Emberiza nigro-rufa_, D’ORB., or _Pipilo personata_, SW.)
[Illustration: _Poospiza bilineata._]
GEN. CHAR. Bill slender, conical, both outlines gently curved. Under
jaw with the edges considerably inflected; not so high 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 head.
We are by no means sure that the two North American specimens here
indicated really belong to the genus _Poospiza_, but we know no better
position for them. They may be distinguished as follows:—
COMMON CHARACTERS. Lores and beneath the eye black, a white
orbital ring, white spot above the lore (in _bilineata_ continued
back in a superciliary stripe); a white maxillary stripe. Lateral
tail-feathers, with outer web, and terminal border of inner,
hoary or pure white.
A. Throat black in adult; sides not streaked.
_A continuous white superciliary stripe._
1. P. bilineata. Black patch of throat covering jugulum,
with a convex outline behind. Crown and back without streaks,
concolored. Wing-coverts without white bands; lesser coverts
ash. Wing, 2.75; tail, 2.85; bill, from nostril, .37; tarsus,
.65.
_No white superciliary stripe._
2. P. mystacalis. Black patch of throat not extending on
jugulum; its posterior outline truncated. Crown and back with
distinct black streaks. Back scapulars and rump rufous in
contrast with the ash of head and neck. Wing-coverts with two
narrow, sharply defined white bands; lesser coverts black.
Wing, 2.80; tail, 3.30; bill, .40; tarsus, .80. _Hab._
Mexico.
B. Throat white; sides streaked.
3. P. belli. No white superciliary stripe. A dusky spot in
middle of the breast. Upper parts ashy, concolored, with
indistinct streaks on the back. Wings somewhat more brownish,
the coverts with two indistinct light (not white) bands.
α. Wing, 2.50; tail, 2.50; bill, .31; tarsus, .74. Dorsal
streaks obsolete. _Hab._ California … var. _belli_.
β. Wing, 3.20; tail, 3.20; bill, .35; tarsus, .76. Dorsal
streaks distinct. _Hab._ Middle Province of United States …
var. _nevadensis_.
Poospiza bilineata, SCLATER.