No. 6. — Birds from Daricii. By OuTRAM Bangs and Thomas Barbour. The latter author, with Mr. W. S. Brooks, spent several months this spring (1922) in Panama. Part of the time was occupied in a journey to the Sapo Highlands and to the heavy forests of the Sambu \'alley, previously unAisited by a zoologist and one of the least known areas of all tropical America. The original plan was to collect mammals and reptiles but having the opportunity to engage the services of IMr. C. F. Underwood while in Costa Rica, it was decided to attempt a collection of birds. Un- favorable weather conditions and the illness of Mr. Underwood made it undesirable to prolong this work. Nevertheless it is only proper to record that, working under conditions very different from the luxurious bird collecting of Costa Rica, with a veteran corps of trained assistants, and camping here, under the most difficult conditions, Mr. Under- wood preserved every single birfl worth saving. We worked under high pressure and had some good Chocoano Indian shooters, but the num- ber of days devoted to ornithology was only about seventeen. Since nearly seven hundred birds were collected it will readily be understood that some of the days were long and well occupied. In one day eighty-seven birds were shot and skinned. One hundred and fifty- nine species are represented in the collection. It would have been easy to increase this list very considerably. The clearings about the village of Garachine and about the Indian plantations on the Sambii swarmed with many species of birds characteristic of the open country. Many forms were so familiar to us all and so well represented in col- lections that our stays about the clearings were devoted to other acti\ities. The collection really represents an attempt to obtain only those species unrepresented in the M. C. Z., so far as our knowledge went. Inevitably, however, many common species were preserved. Field notes, in many cases of no great value, are appended. The only excuse for so doing is the paucity of data concerning the region and the fact that so many collections of birds are reported upon by persons who have not had the good fortune to share in securing the material. Collections of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes were also obtained and reports upon these series, together with a general ac- 192 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. count of the country and its inhabitants, have been or will be published elsewhere. Several occasions stand out as specially memorable. The chance to see two great flights of hawks (probably Swainson's) was very pleasing. One afternoon (16 April) coming down the Sambu in dugouts we noticed what we first believed to be an enormous gathering of turkey buzzards but in a short time the whirling or wheeling cloud passed westward near enough for us to see that what we had mistaken for buzzards was in reality an enormous crowd of hawks. They were very high, the day happened to be finely clear, and several thousand were visible. A few days later another migration was observed from a foothill of Mt. Sapo but the number of hawks was distinctly less. On another afternoon, when resting after a steep climb, at the foot of a gigantic espave tree, we heard a noise overhead and looking up were surprised to see the great crested head of a Harpy Eagle looking down at us. Hastily pushing in 2's I (Barbour) fired both barrels but the bird was very high and only a wing was broken. It had just sufficient power of flight to launch out from the tree top and in a second it was away, down the slope of an almost perpendicular valley which we searched for hours without avail. Although we had several fine views of flying Harpys we never got another shot, and losing this bird was a bitter disappointment. In this paper we follow the order used by Ridgway in the Birds of North and Middle America (Bull. 50, U. S. N. M.). It is also to be noted that whenever Chapman is referred to, with no specific reference, we allude to The Distribution of Bird-Life in Colombia (Bull. Amer. mus. nat. hist., 1917, 36), and similarly with the use of Hellmayr's name, to A Contribution to the Ornithology of Western Colombia (P. Z. S. London, 1911). In conclusion it gives us great pleasure to thank President Porras and the Sen ores Alfaro and Morales of his Cabinet in Panama; Dr. R. P. Strong and Major Bocock, Superintendent of the Hospital Santo Tomas and to many other officials and friends both here and in Central America who gave us help and adv^e. Messrs. Nelson, Chapman, Todd, and Penard have also aided us by loaning specimens which have been invaluable, in connection with our material in Cambridge, in arriving at the taxonomic conclusions which we have reached. Finally it may be well to add a word regarding the location of the collecting stations named. Esnape was a camp on a stream of that name situated several hours march northeast of the junction of the BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 193 Sambu and Sabalo Rivers, Lat. 8° 02' 13" and Long. 78° 12' 00". The Quebrada Esnape is said to be tributary to the Rio Taimiti. Jesusito refers to camps at several points in the lowland forest on the Rio Jesusito which rises in the Sapo Mountains. It is one of a series of small streams which have their source in the highlands and flow toward the Sambu Valley, but which apparently, in this case, is not tributary to the Sambu but probably empties in a marsh drained by the Rio Celorio. Mt. Sapo refers to stations on the headwaters of the Rio San Antonio, a stream which enters the sea near the town of Garachine. The river drains the western slopes of Mt. Sapo itself. The collections are all representative of the fauna of the lower Tropical Zone, the stations being all in the rain forest below 1500'. ARDEIDAE. 1. Canchroma zeledoni Ridgway. One skeleton, Jesusito. Only a single Boat-billed Heron was seen during the entire trip and this was shot while night hunting with an acetylene lamp. It stared stupidly at the light and made no effort to escape. 2. Pilherodias pileatus (Boddaert). One adult female, Jesusito, 6 April, 1922. This appears to be the first record for Panama. It has already been recorded from western Colombia by Chapman. A pair of these lovely night herons was observed several times near the lower camp on the Jesusito River. They were rather shy and ap- peared to be fairly active by day. Only one of the pair was killed. CATHARTIDAE. 3. Sarcoril\mphus papa (Linne). One adult male, Pacora, April, 1922. The chief of the Canal Zone Fire Department, Captain Brown, found this splendid vulture sitting on an open plain while hunting near Pacora. He approached the bird and found it to be perfectly blind, although its eyes gave no appearance of being abnormal. He kept it alive for some time and finally gave it to the Museum party. King vultures were seen several times flying low over the tree tops in the Sambu Valley but none were shot. 194 bulletin: museltm of comparative zoology. AQUILIDAE. 4. Ibycter americanus americanus (Boddaert). One adult female, Jesiisito, 13 April, 1922. This skin affords a wing-length of 355 mm., which places it as the small form representative of tropical South America, and which Swann has already recorded as being found northward to Panama. This remarkable hawk was a constant source of surprise. Small parties of four or five were often encountered in the deep woods. They flapped sluggishly for short distances when disturbed uttering the most unearthly shrieks. They were feeding in the fruit trees and reminded one far more of macaws, in voice and actions, than of hawks. The Panamanians call them \^-itches (brujos) and do not consider them at all as being in the catagory of eagles or other birds of prey. About the ]Mt. Sapo camp small flocks of brujos appeared every morning and evening flying up and down the steep hillsides just above the forest, screaming like macaws all the while. 5. Rupornis magnirostris ruficauda (Sclater and Salvin). One adult male, Jesusito, 7 April, 1922. 6. Falco albigularis Daudin. Two adults, male and female, Jesusito, April, 1922. Swann, reluctantly to be sure, recognizes three races of the White- throated Bat Falcon. We, however, detect no geographical variation in the species and cannot allow Chubb's two forms. Occasionally, just at dusk, one of these hawks would dart past the lower Jesusito camp which was on a rough pebbly beach across the stream from an old abandoned Indian banana plantation. The pair secured were shot as thev flashed bv, to the intense excitement of our Chocoano companions. TINAMIDAE. 7. Tinamus major castaneiceps Salvadori. Two adult females, Jesusito, April, 1922. Many of the large tinamous were killed for food and were delicious. The Indians had small difficulty in securing specimens but neverthe- BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 195 less they were very shy, having been persistently hunted. At dawn and eve their protracted and musical cry, oft repeated in crescendo, was one of the forest sounds which serve the Indians as most exact time-markers. 8. Crypturus soli panamensis Carriker. One adult female, Jesusito, 9 April, 1922. The little tinamou was far rarer and far less shy than its larger ally. The Indians brought in a number, shot at such short range that they were impossible to preserve. CRACIDAE. 9. Crax globicera Linne. One adult female, Jesusito, 13 April, 1922. Miller and Griscom (American museum novitates), no. 25, p. 7, 1921, discredit Crax panamensis Ogilvie Grant, saying that in series all characters of that supposed species break down, and that it is not separable from C. globicera of Mexico to Honduras. The pavones were rare, very rare, and it was only by making long excursions from the upper Jesusito camp far into the Sapo Hills that an occasional pavon could be secured for food. 10. Penelope cristata (Linne). One adult, male, Jesusito, 15 April, 1922. The same remarks apply to this species. The Indians prefer the flesh of these birds to any other and have hunted them persistently for generations. In the region of the Rio Pavarondo near the Colombian frontier, where there are fewer Chocoanos, all game is said to be much more common. ODONTOPHORIDAE. 11. Odontophorus guianensis panamensis Chapman. Four specimens, adults both sexes, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. The Panamanians call this bird the " Mulatto Dog" (Perro Mulato), 196 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. though the connection is not easy to see. About equally abundant with the following species, they were singularly tame and were often seen, in pairs, walking about camp in the most unconcerned fashion. 12. Rhynchortyx clntctus cinctus (Salvin). Seven specimens, adults of both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. Two downy young were also preserved. When camp was quiet, as it sometimes was, these little quail often appeared, walking in pairs, and when disturbed ran away to some thicket. Neither this species, nor the preceding, were ever seen to take flight. RALLIDAE. 13. Ar amides cayanea cajanea (P. L. S. Miiller). One adult female, Jesusito, 12 April, 1922. We are unable, with a very large series of specimens, to verify a single character of the so-called Araviides cajanea salmoni Chubb, of northern Colombia and Panama, and cannot satisfactorily separate birds from that general region from those from Guiana. A recogniz- able, insular form, however, A. c. latens Bangs and Penard, is found on Pearl Island, in the Bay of Panama. Along the Sambii wood rails were often heard calling at dusk and during the early night. Away from the main stream of the river they were far more rare, indeed were but very seldom heard and the one female, killed by an Indian, was the only one which was brought to camp. COLUMBIDAE. 14. Leptoptila cassini cassini Lawrence. Six adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Jesusito, and Rio Esnape, April, 1922. Pigeons of all sorts were scarce in the high forest although passing up and down the Sambu, especially through the mangroves, numbers of individuals of certainly three or more species were very conspicuous. BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 197 PSITTACIDAE. 15. EuciNETUS HAEMATOTis cocciNEicoLLARis (Lawrence). One adult, female, Jesusito, 9 April, 1922. The little red collared parrots were not very abundant. However, in common with the other species, they fed in such gigantic trees that they were not easily observed and identified. 16. PiONUS MENSTRUUS (Linne). One adult (sex not determined), Jesusito, April, 1922. Flocks of this species passed every day over the camp on the lower Jesusito at night-fall and about dawn. They whirred overhead, band after band, until the whole forest resounded with their screams and ordinary conversation was next to impossible. ^Vhence they came or where they went we never knew, and these blue parrots seldom stopped to rest where we could observe them. 17. Amazona farinosa inornata (Salvadori). One adult, female, Jesusito, 10 April, 1922. In contrast to the preceding species this great plain looking green parrot roosted in myriads near the lower Jesusito camp. They stayed about for some time in the morning to feed, shrieking and chattering the while, but almost always far out of range of our twelve bore, so high were the high tree-tops. About eight every morning they flew toward the hills, returning late in the afternoon, occasionally accompanied by a few pairs of macaws none of which were ever shot. CUCULIDAE. 18. PlAYA CAYANA THERMOPHILA Sclatcr. One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. This specimen is not chfferent from the average of skins from Costa Rica and the Canal Zone of Panama, and does not seem in any way to approach P. c. nigricrissa (Cabanis) of western Ecuador and \yest Colombia. This cuccoo is rare in the deep forest. The only one shot chanced to light in some creepers at noon one day while watch was being kept under the "Cotinga Tree" to be mentioned later. 198 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. MOMOTIDAE. 19. MoMOTUs subrufescens reconditus Nelson. Three adult males, Rio Esnape, April, 1922. The first of these to be secured was caught in a steel trap set at the mouth of its enormous nesting burrow. 20. Urospatha martii semirufa (Selater). Three adults, male and two females, ISIt. Sapo, April, 1922. This and the preceding species of motmots were common and were heard daily calling during the hot still noon hours. Much larger series could easily- have been secured. 21. Electron platyrhynchus minor (Hartert). One adult, female, Jesusito, 9 April^l922. This specimen, with a culmen of 39 mm. differs in no way from (eight examples) birds from Costa Rica, and western Panama. Chap- man has already pointed out that E. p. suholcs Nelson, was either based on a slightly abnormal individual, or has a very restricted dis- tribution which seems impossible as it is a species of the Tropical Zone. This curious, broad-billed motmot was very rare and no other in- dividual was secured or seen. 22. Hylomanes momotula obscurus Nelson. One adult male, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. An aged negro, armed with an ancient French muzzle loader, brought this motmot to camp one day. He said that he had killed it high on the slopes of the Cerro de Sapo itself. ALCEDINIDAE. 23. Chloroceryle amazona (Latham). One adult, female, Jesusito, 12 April, 1922. This, and the two following species, were all abundant and many could have been secured. In general kingfishers were confined to the • swift clear woodland torrents and were seldom seen about the sluggish Sambii or the lower Jesus, both streams having water the consistency and color of pea-soup. BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 199 24. Chloroceryle americana isthmica (Goldman). Two adults, male and female, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. 25. Chloroceryle inda (Linne). Four adults, both sexes, Jesusito, April, 1922. BUCCOXIDAE. 26. XoTHARCUs PECTORALis (Gray). One adult, female, Rio Esnape, 3 April, 1922. A single specimen brought to camp by an Indian hunter. 27. Malacoptila panamensis panamensis Lafresnaye. Four adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. This fine bucco was met with at most of the camps, but was rare and all of the indi\'iduals seen bv the members of the party were secured. 28. Monasa pallescens pallescens Cassin. Three adults, male and two females, Jesusito, April, 1922. These vary among themselves as to the shade of gray on the wing- coverts and also as to the grayness or blackness of the throats and chests. We are unable to distinguish them, either by color or size, from skins from Antioquia,'identified by Chapman as paUcsce7is. In the deep woods these beautiful birds were far from common but about the Indian habitations they were very abundant. At the house of Churima, where several nights were passed, they might be seen at any time dusting in the little pathway which led to the canoe landing or perched about the house almost as tame as the little paraquets which crawled about playing with the Indian children. 29. Nonnula frontalis pallescens Todd. Eight adults, both sexes, Jesusito and Rio Esnape, April, 1922. This series agrees with skins already in M. C. Z. from the Canal Zone. The series presents some \ariation in color but on the whole is 200 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. much paler than old "Bogota" skins. Some time ago Bangs and Penard compared Canal Zone skins with the specimens sent them by Todd, upon which paUescens (type-locality, Fundacion, Santa ISIarta, Colombia), was founded, and found them to agree essentially. There is a doubt in our minds as to Todd's having selected the right form for his new name; provided, however, there actually are two forms. The little Nonnulas were never observed except in the darkest and dampest of lowland woods. GALBULIDAE. 30. Jacameeops aurea penardi, subsp. nov. One adult, male, Rio Esnape, 3 April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 116,609 adult 9 , Costa Rica: Carrillo, 19 Novem- ber, 1898. C. F. Underwood. Characters. — Similar to ./. a. aurca (P. L. S. Miiller) of Surinam, but with a much more slender bill ; colors about the same except that in the northern form the lower surface of the tail is perhaps rather more purplish, less greenish. Remarks. — We ha\-e named this northern form of J. aurea, which ranges from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica south at least to eastern Panama, in honor of our colleague Thomas E. Penard, who has lent us two fine topotypes of the typical form, and has kindly helped in the preparation of this paper with the loan of other specimens and with many suggestions on points of nomenclature, etc. BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 201 Having, by chance, previously concluded that this form should be separated, we turned to Ridgway's Birds of North and Middle Amer- ica and found that, in reality, he had already called attention to the very slender bill of the northern form. On comparison the bill in the two forms is seen at once to be so obviously broad in the southern and so slender in the northern that we consider that they must be separated on this character alone. Measurements, unfortunately, do not show these differences very well. The splendid giant jacama was killed among the very fii'st birds taken and although afterward constantly sought, no other example was ever seen. 31. Brachy GALEA SALMONi Sclater and Salvin. One somewhat immature male, Jesusito, 7 April, 1922. Directly across the stream and right opposite the lower Jesusito camp was a rather low dead tree and on this, every day, perched some small jacamas, all obviously immature. We shot them all, but in spite of many sharp Indian eyes only one was ever found, so thick were the nettles and thorny creepers into which they fell. The adults were never seen, although watched for daily. RAMPHASTIDAE. 32. Pteroglossus torquatus torquatus (Gmelin). Two adults, male and female, Jesusito, 9 April, 1922. These gaudy little toucans were abundant and as they were stupid and fed in rather low trees many were killed to eat. 33. Selenidera spectabilis Cassin. Four adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. This toucan was much rarer than the preceding, but equally tame. 34. Ramphastos piscivorus brevicarinatus Gould. One skeleton, Jesusito. The big vellow-breasted toucans were common everywhere. Thev sounded like amphibians, not birds, and looked like tiny bow heavy airplanes as they flapped and then sailed, often for long distances, high 202 bulletin: musetjm of comparative zoology. over the forest. They were great favorites for food, and though in reahty not ver}' shy they flew so high they were by no means easy to secure. CAPITONIDAE. 35. Capito maculicoronatus pirrensis Nelson. Three adult males, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. xAnother beautiful species, never seen except when it visited the "Cotinga Tree." {Cf. sub Cotinga natcrrcri). PICIDAE. 36. Melanerpes pucherani pucherani (]\Ialherbe). Two specimens, adult male and immature male, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. Small woodpeckers were often heard and seen but they were usually so high that it was quite impossible to kill them. 37. Celeus loricatus mentalis Cassin. One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 21 April, 1922. 38. Ceophloeus lineatus mesorhynchus Cabanis and Heine. One adult male, Rio Esnape, 3 April, 1922. This big woodpecker seems to have been rarer than the following species. They were not differentiated in the field, howcA'er, and large woodpeckers in general were much more abundant than the smaller species. 39. Campephilus malherbei Gray. Five adults, both sexes, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. TROGOXIDAE. 40. CURUCUJUS MELANURUS MACROURUS (Gould). Four adults, two males, two females, Jesusito, April, 1922. Four species of trogons were collected, they all seemed about equally abundant and the usual difficulty was encountered in getting decent BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 203 specimens. The Curcujus and true Trogon were only found in the lowhxnd forest. The Chrysotrogon only at some distance up in the Sapo Hills. The latter species sheds it plumes when shot, even more readily than the others. 41. Trogon strigilatus chionurus Sclater and Salvin. One adult female, Jesusito, 12 April, 1922. 42. Trogonurus curcucui tenellus (Cabanis). Three adults, male and two females, Mt. Sapo and Rio Esnape, April, 1922. These appear to be quite like birds from the Canal Zone and from Costa Rica and show no approach to T. c. cupreicauda Chapman, of western Colombia. 43. Chrysotrogon caligatus caligatus (Gould). Two specimens, male and female, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. TROCHILIDAE. 44. EUTOXERES AQUILA SALVINI Gould. One adult, female, Mt. Sapo, 20 April, 1922. W. S. Brooks. The only specimen seen, and the same site was visited again and again, was taken while feeding on the red flowers of one of the small species of banana-like plants. 45. Phaethornis guyi coruscus Bangs. Three females, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. This was one of the solitary hermits of the dark damp groves of "tagua" or ivory nut-palms. The two following species were found in similar situations and while a good many were seen, they were so active and made such long erratic flights that they were by no means easy to collect. They visited none of the flowering trees and shrubs which were regularly watched for hummingbirds. The Threnetes was similar in habits. 46. Phaethornis longirostris cassini Lawrence. Three adults, both sexes, Rio Esnape and Jesusito, April, 1922. Simon, the latest authority on the Hummingbirds (Historic natu- 204 bulletin: museum of compakative zoology. relle des Trochilidae, 1921), sinks P. longirostris ccphalus (Bourcier and Mulsant) type-locality Rio San Juan, Nicaragua, into the syn- onymy of P. longirostris longirostris (Lesson and Delattre), type-locality Guatemala, and recognizes as a distinct species P. cassini Lawrence, type-locality Turbo, giving as its range northern Colombia to Ver- agua. It -is, of course, true that specimens from extreme eastern Panama are much more different from true P. longirostris than are birds from Nicaragua and Costa Rica, in fact many specimens from the latter countries are barely distinguishable from P. longirostris longirostris of Guatemala. We cannot accept cassini as a distinct species, though recognizing it as a subspecies and allowing cephalus to stand as a rather poorly characterized intermediate form. 47. Phaethornis adolphi nelsoni, nom. no v. Phacthornis adolphi fraterculus Nelson, Smithsonian misc. coll., 27 September, 1912, 60, no. 3, p. 9. Type-locality Cana, Panama. Not Phacthornis fraterculus Gould, Monogr. Troch., 1S61, 1, p. 18. Two adults, female and sex not determined, Jesusito, April, 1922. 48. Threnetes ruckeri darienensis, subsp. nov. Two adults, male, Mt. Sapo, 23 April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 87,511 adult cf , E. Panama: Mt. Sapo, 23 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. Characters. — Similar to T. r. fraseri (Gould) of Ecuador and western Colombia, and with similar dark green upper parts, but with the cinnamon throat-patch much larger and brighter and with the belly much paler and clearer gray. Similar also to T. ruckeri ruckeri (Bourcier), (Nicaragua to western Panama) but upper parts dark green instead of bronzy green; and belly gray, not buffy. Chapman mentions the characters of this well-marked form and although he appears to have had plenty of material he did not name it. 49. Chalybura buffoni micans, subsp. nov. Eighteen adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 87,514 adult cf , E. Panama: Mt. Sapo, 25 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. Characters. — Similar to C. b. huffonii (Lesson) of the Magdalena Valley, (common in Bogota collections) but adult male with the tail. BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 205 including middle rectrices, blue-black (a few skins only in the large series before us from eastern Panama and western Colombia have some slight greenish at base of middle rectrices and along the extreme outer edges of other rectrices, ciuite different from the dull, bronzy middle rectrices and the other extensively bronze rectrices, in C. b. hiiffoni) and underparts paler and much more bluish green. From C. h. aeneicauda Lawrence of Venezuela and the Santa Marta Region of Colombia the new form differs at once in its blue-black instead of green middle rectrices. Size similar to that in the other race. This is another well-marked subspecies to the characters of which Chapman has already called attention but which he did not name. It seems to us too different from the other subspecies ever to be confused with any of them. Its range extends from the Canal Zone in Panama to western Colombia. This big, mealy green hummer was a common visitor to low flower- ing shrubs near the two camps on the Jesusito and on Mt. Sapo. It was very abundant, though far more males were seen than females. 50. Klais guimeti (Bourcier and Mulsant). One immature male, Mt. Sapo, 21 April, 1922. 51. Damophila panamensis Berlepsch. Five adults, both sexes, Jesusito, April, 1922. This species and the following were taken at flowering shrubs which they visited at all hours of the day in common with the Chalybura. o2. POLYERATA AMABILIS (Gould). Eighteen adults, both sexes, Jesusito, April, 1922. 53. Thalurania fannyi fannyi (Delattre and Bourcier). Three adults, two males and a female, Mt. Sapo and Esnape, April, 1922. The two males are exceptionally fine ones, with very long tails, long bills and of very dark rich coloration. At first we thought they might represent a new form, but afterwards decided to consider them hand- some old adults of true fannyi. Measurements. CULMEN No. Sex. Locality Wing Tail to base 87,556 cJ' ad. Mt. Sapo 53 45 25. 87,555 cf ad. Rio Esndpe 53 44 23.5 206 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology, 54. Heliothrix barroti (Bourcier and Mulsant). Two adults, females, Mt. Sapo and Rio Esnape, April, 1922. These lovely hummers were seen very occasionally and then onh^ when they came to bathe in the streams near camp. They hovered motionless over the brook for a few seconds and then dipped hurriedly up and down into the cool, clear water perhaps half a dozen times and then disappeared. By watching the pools during the late afternoon the two specimens, both females, were secured. FORMICARIIDAE. 55. Cymbilanius lineatus fasciatus Ridgway. One adult male, Jesusito, 9 April, 1922. Nineteen species of ant-thrushes were taken. There is nothing special to remark as to their habits. All are found walking with characteristic tread on the floor of the deep, dark forest. Many were shot by the Indians who were especially useful in getting these birds as they made no noise while walking and one and all had keen eyesight. There was great rivalry to see who could secure the largest day's bag, tobacco being the reward. 56. Thamnistes anabatinus coronatus Nelson. Two adults, male and female, Mt. Sapo, 20, 22 April, 1922. 57. Thamnophilus punctatus atrinucha Salvin and Godman. Thirteen adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 58. Dasyithamnus puncticeps puncticeps Salvin. Four adults, one male, three females, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. 59. Myrmotherula brachyura (Hermann). One adult male, Jesusito, 7 April, 1922. 60. Myrmotherula surinamensis pacifica Hellmayr. Three specimens, adult male and female and immature male, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 207 61. Myrmopagis AXILLARIS ALBiGULA (Lawrcnce). Twenty-eight specimens, adults of both sexes and immature males. Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. This and the succeeding were two of the very commonest forest species. A very large series could easily have been collected. 62. Myrmopagis fulviventris (Lawrence). Sixteen adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 63. MiCRORHOPiAS BoucARDi CONSOBRINA (Sclater). Four adults, three males and a female, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. 64. Cercomacra tyrannina tyrannina (Sclater). Five adults, three males, two females, Rio Esnape and Jesusito. 65. Myrmeciza laemosticta palliata Todd. Twelve adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. Making due allowance for the difference in season, — Todd's origi- nal series, from Santander, Colombia, was taken from August to December, ours in April — this series is scarcely separable from the well-marked Colombian form, palliata. The character, of our skins, on the whole, is very slightly intermediate, for instance, the flanks and sides in our males are slightly darker and more reddish brown than in Todd's. This, however, is not so in the female kindly lent us by Todd. In one of our males the black of the throat ends abruptly at the upper chest, in the others it is more or less extended irregularly over the chest and upper breast. 66. My^rmeciza maculifer cassini (Ridgway). Thirteen adults, both sexes, Rio Esnape and Jesusito, April, 1922. 67. FoRMiCARius ANALis PANAMENSis Ridgway. Six adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. One adult male gives a wing-length of 93 mm., the other three run from 85 to 88. In the two females it is 87 and 90 respectively. 208 bulletin: museum of compakative zoology. This ant-bird called like a little tinaraou. Its long clear whistle repeated in crescendo six or seven times was easily imitated and several times the bird was brought fairly near and a shot thus secured. In general, however, the species was much more shy than the others of the family. 68. Hylophylax naevioides naevioides (Lafresnaye). Thirty-eight adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. In the Birds of North and Middle America, Ridgway did not recognize the Costa Rican Hylophylax naevioides capnitis (Bangs). Now we have a very large series of each race and believe that the Costa Rican form can easily be distinguished from true naevioides of Panama. The characters originally claimed for the northern bird are slight, and perhaps only average characters, but besides these, the female of capnitis is much grayer, less buffy below and the spots on the chest much darker and more distinct, and in both sexes the subterminal dark band on the tail is narrower and the tip is darker more cinna- momeous, less buffy or whitish. This was another of the excessively common woodland species of which an enormous series might easily have been secured. 69. Anoplops bicolor bicolor (Lawrence). Five adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. 70. Phaenostictus macleannani chocoanus, subsp. nov. Three adults, two males and a female, JVIt. Sapo and Rio Esnape. April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 87,352 adult cf, E. Panama: Mt. Sapo, 20 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. Characters. — Similar to P. m. macleannani (Lawrence) of the Canal Zone, but much paler throughout; pileum much grayer, less brownish; front paler still, whitish gray; chest-band pale cinnamon- rufous and margins to feathers of back and lower underparts very pale buff. Measurements. BANGS AND BARBOUK: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 209 71. Rhopoterpe stictoptera Salvin. Eight adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. So far as we know this species has not been recorded from anywhere south of Nicaragua, yet we are unable to separate our eastern Panama skins from Xicaraguan specimens w4th which we have compared them.- 72. Pittasoma michleri michleri Cassin. One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 21 April, 1922. Although special effort was made to secure the large Grallaria-like birds, this was the only individual secured. 73. Hylopezus perspicillata perspicillata (Lawrence). Two adults, male and female, Rio Esnape and Jesusito, April, 1922. On geographical grounds these two skins must be referred to true perspicillata. Judged by characters alone one should be referred here and one to H. perspicillata lizanoi (Cherrie). In running through a large series of the latter we find all its characters to be very variable and the form seems hardly worthy of recognition. FURXARIIDAE. 74. Sclerurus mexicanus axomalus, subsp. nov. Two adults, male and female, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 87,367 adult 9 , E. Panama: Mt. Sapo, 25 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. Characters. — Similar in size and proportions to S. m. pullus Bangs of Costa Rica and Chiric^ui but coloration much paler; the upperparts and belly warm sepia or Vandyke-brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts chestnut. Similar also to S. m. mexicanus Sclater but bill much shorter and stouter and throat and chest paler (not far from Sanford's-brown in the new form, and from chestnut or tawny chest- nut in mexicanus) and more sharply defined against the color of the lower underparts. Measurements. 210 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. Remarks. — This form, which usually has been referred to S. in. mexicanus in spite of the fact that a much darker subspecies, C. m. pullus Bangs, occurred in Costa Rica and Chiriqui cutting the range in two, appears to be quite distinct. It differs from true mexicanus conspicuously, the latter form having a much longer and more slender bill (culmen to base, 26 to 27.5 mm.) and in the color of the throat and chest which are paler and brighter in the Panama bird. In western Colombia another dark form C. »?. ohscurior Hartert occurs, even darker than pullus and dusky rather than brownish on the lower under- parts. With the few Guatemalan specimens seen by us, we are unable to separate S. m. certus Chubb of Guatemala from true mexicanus. We have not seen any skins from Amazonia. As we know the species the northern races stand thus : — 1. Sclerurus mexicajius mexicanus Sclater. Southeastern ^Mexico to Honduras. 2. Sclerurus mexicanus pullus Bangs. Costa Rica and Chiriqui. 3. ISclerurus mexicanus anomalus Bangs and Barbour. Panama, Canal Zone to extreme eastern Panama. 4. Sclerurus mexicanus ohscurior Hartert. Northwestern Equador and western Colombia. In the field we were not able to observe any great chfferences in habits of some of the furnariids from the dendrocolaptids. 75. Sclerurus guatemalensis guatemalensis (Hartlaub). Six adults, both sexes, ^Nlt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. These skins are somewhat darker, more olive-brown, less rufous brown than specimens from Guatemala and British Honduras; they can, however, be matched by certain examples from southwestern Costa Rica and western Panama. They are probably somewhat intermediate tending a little toward S. g. salvini Salvador! and Festa of western Ecuador, which, however, we have not seen. 76. Xenops gexibarbis ridgwayi Hartert and Goodson. Three specimens, two males and a female, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. BANGS AND BARBOUK: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 211 77. Philydor fuscipennis Salvin. One somewhat immature female of this very rare species was se- cured at Rio Esnape, 3 April, 1922. 78. AuTOMOLUS PALLiDiGULARis PALLiDiGULARis Lawrence. Four adult males, Mt. Sapo and Rio Esnape, April, 1922. DENDROCOLAPTIDAE. 79. Dendrocolaptes sancti-thomae sancti-thomae (Lafresnaye). Two adult females, Jesusito, April, 1922. These specimens are wholly referable to true sancti-thomae from which thev differ onh' in sli";htl\- darker chestnut tails, a difference perhaps due to being freshly made skins as compared with old material. The range of sancli-thomac therefore extends through eastern Panama to western Colombia (see Chapman, Bull. Amer. mus. nat. hist., 1917, 36, p. 427) and north probably along the Caribbean slope of Panama and Costa Rica, just to southeastern Mexico. The well-defined D. s. hesperius Bangs, occupies a narrow belt in western Panama, western Costa Rica, and western Nicaragua. The six forms of dendrocolaptids collected all had more or less simi- lar habits. They have, as is well kno\\"n, the habit of creepers but often drill vigorously with their bills, making quite as much noise as a small woodpecker. Although we saw several columns of army-ants we did not find these birds coming to the ground to feed upon them or the insects which they stir about as the formicariids naturally did. 80. XiPHORHYXCHUs LACHRYMOsus LACHRYMOsus (Lawrencc). One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. 81. XiPHORHYNCHUS NANUS NANUS (Lawrence). Two adult males, Jesusito, April, 1922. 82. Glyphorhynchus cuneatus pfctoralis Sclater and Salvin. Eleven adults, t)otii sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 212 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 83. Dendrocincla lafresnayei ridgwayi Oberholser. Six adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 84. Dendrocincla homochroa ruficeps Selater and Salvin. One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 21 April, 1922. COTIXGIDAE. 85. CoTiNGA NATTERi (Boissoneau). Ten specimens, adults of both sexes and immature males, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. This splendid bird was only taken at the "Cotinga Tree" near the Mt. Sapo camp. Shortly after this camp was located two long trails were cut leading up two high hog-back spurs of the main range. One of these led to the ridge called La Jarcia where trees were cut down until a fine look-out was cleared. From this look-out a maze of steep crests and valleys was disclosed. We were always looking for white Cotingas and several were seen from our clearing evidently visiting a feeding tree but it stood in an absolutely inaccessible spot. After this, search for feeding trees was redoubled and before many days a tree with ripe fruit, a small fig evidently, was found on another ridge only a mile or so from the camp. After this tree was located some one or other of the party kept a constant watch there every day from dawn until dark. Xo wliite Cotingas came to the tree but ten blues were collected. The buccos and Cotingas at large visited the tree at three very definite times of day. A few in the early morning but most about 8.30 a.m., then there was a lull and the tree had only an occasional visitor, usually some migrant warbler, until noon when for about an hour there was abundant visitation, thereafter little appeared until about 4 p.m. This last feeding period was distinctly the least im- portant of the three. The birds came to the tree in perfect silence simply appearing from out of the vast immensity of the surrounding forest, remaining a few moments and then leaving as they came. Several other feeding trees were seen but they grew on such precipitous slopes that retrieving the fallen birds would have been impossible, had one been able to find a place to stand and shoot once the tree was reached. It is sometimes easy to locate a feeding tree from a distance but identifying the same tree when one is close to it in the forest is often next to impossible. BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 213 86. Attila citreopyga citreopyga (Bonaparte). One adult male, Mt. Sapo, 20 April, 1922. A single example of this species appeared one morning and no other was seen. 87. LiPAUGUS HOLERYTHRUS HOLERYTHRUS Sclater and Salvin. One adult male, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. This skin is slightly richer and more rusty in color than northern specimens (Guatemala to Costa Rica) and thus approaches L. liolery- thrus rosenbcrgi Hartert, type-locality Rio Dagua, western Colombia. These reddish cotingas came to the tree quite often and frequently in company with other species, so they were not always collected. This species and the following are beyond doubt really congeneric. 88. Lathria uxirufa castaneotixcta Hartert. Six adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. Chapman says he cannot distinguish L. u. clara of Panama from L. u. castaneotinda of western Colombia and northeast Ecuador. The present series bears out what he has said, though Panama birds are on the whole a trifle, either paler or duller than those from western Colombia. The larger " red cotinga" was the one species of the family that was sometimes identified and shot in the forest away from a feeding tree. 89. Pachyrhamphus cinnamomeus Lawrence. Three adults, two males and a female, Jesusito, April, 1922. This species was only killed in a feeding tree on the summit of a steep hill near our upper Jesusito camp. 90. TiTYRA SEMIFASCIATA COLUMBIANA RidgWaV. & ' One adult male, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. This specimen is rather small, the wing-length being only 116 mm. The tail-pattern is typically that of Columbian a. This bird appeared once, almost at dusk, and the flash of white made us think that at last the pajaro del EspiritM Santo had appeared. 214 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. PIPRIDAE. 91. Manacus vitellinus vitellinus (Gould). Six adults, both sexes, Rio Esnape and Jesusito, April, 1922. A common species in thickets along the stream-courses. 92. PiPRA ERYTHROCEPHALA ACTINOSA, subsp. UOV. Thirty specimens, adults of both sexes, and young males, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 87,170 adult d", E. Panama, 21 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. Characters. — Similar to P. e. erythrocephcda (Linne) but larger. The adult male, similar in color; adult female slightly paler olive- green above and slightly paler and grayer, less yellowish olive below. \Ying in adult male, 58.01 (57-59); fifteen specimens. Remarks. — After recognizing the slightly different form we have just named, Pipra erythrocephala is made up of four geographic races, as follows: — 1. Pipra erythrocephala erythrocephala (Linne). Surinam, Cayenne, Venezuela, Trinidad, etc. Small wing in adult male, 54.55 (53-5(3); head intense orange-yellow. 2. Pipra eryihrocephala actinosa Bangs and Barbour. Eastern Panama to the Santa JNIarta Region of Colombia. Larger wing in adult male, 58.01 (57-59), male similar in color, female slightly paler. 3. Pipra erythrocephala flammiceps Todd. Santander, Colombia. Small wing in adult male, 53-54; head darker, more reddish orange. 4. Pipra erythrocephala berlepschi Ridgway. Bogota Region of Colombia to Peru. Large wing in adult male 61., (60-62); head pale yellow. In all the forms the adult female is a little larger than the male, about 2 mm. on the average, in the length of the wing. These little manikins were most amusing birds to watch. ^^ hile on a long tramp one experience with these lively little feathered imps was most pleasing. It was late afternoon when attracted by a most sur- prising whirring and snapping of wings; and searching about for a moment a low tree was found literally swarming with yellow-headed BANGS AND BARBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 215 manikins. They had evidently met by design and were strutting, bowing, raising and lowering their wings and generally going through such antics as one only expects from Birds of Paradise. No females were anywhere about and the observation was never repeated though the tree was revisited on various occasions. 93. PiPRA VELUTINA MINUSCULA Todd. Ten adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. Our skins are wholly referable to this well-marked form, lately de- scribed by Todd; its characters were, however, long before dwelt on at length by Hellmayr, who refrained from giving it a name only be- cause he had no skins from Veragua, the type-locality of P. vclufina velutina Berlepsch. The little Blue-headed Manikin frequently came to the " Cotinga tree" but many specimens were taken elsewhere as well. 94. CoRAPiPO ALTERA ALTERA Hellmayr. Four adult males, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. We agree with Carriker that the short first primary is a character that separates C. altera altera Hellmayr and C. altera heteroleuca Hellmayr specifically from C. leucorrhoa (Sclater). For some reason only four specimens of this very conspicuous bird were found, all in a small low coppet near camp. 95. ScoTOTHORUS TURDiNUS STENORHYNCHUS (Sclater and Salvin). Five adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 96. Sapayoa aenigma Hartert. Eight adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. This series of full plumaged spring birds, shows that the male (be- sides having a semiconcealed yellow crest which the female does not possess) is paler and much more yellowish olive-green than the female, especially on the underparts, the throat and chest being often quite yellow. This species was abundant and confined to the stream-bottoms. 97. Laniocera rufescens (Sclater). One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 22 April, 1922. This bird was taken at the "Cotinga Tree" in company with the 216 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. various species of what our outfit came to call "red cotingas." It is almost impossible to believe tliat the bird does not really belong in that family. TYRANNIDAE. 98. Onychorhynchus mexicanus fraterculus Bangs. Nine adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. The Paradise flycatchers were abundant and widespread. One observation at the time seemed very striking. Two birds were cap- tured only slightly wounded, each acted in exactly the same way. The mouth was opened wide, the great crest fully expanded and then the head was slowly waved from side to side. Exactly the same mo- tion was often enacted by a large rose-crested cockatoo which was shot and wounded near Wahaai, Ceram. A captive cockatoo subsequently repeated the minatory gestures whenever it was shown a snake. It is curious that birds having wide transverse crests but so far separated in the system should use such a similar method of attempting to terrify an enemy. 99. Oncostoma olivaceum (Lawrence). Two adults, male and sex undetermined, Rio Esnape and J esusito April, 1922. It is surprising that this was found to be a rare bird in eastern Panama, it is so common throughout most of its range. 100. Placostomus coronatus superciliaris (Lawrence). Eight adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo and Rio Esnape, April, 1922. Nests made of a filamentous lichen, great pendulous purses quite without form, were observed hanging from limbs above all the streams. None were occupied but the Indians said that they were made by this boat-billed flycatcher, which was rather abundant. 101. Craspedoprion olivaceus bardus, subsp. nov.' Eight adults, seven males and a female, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. Ti-PE.— M. C. Z. 87,029 adult &, E. Panama: Mt. Sapo, 20 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. 1 Bardus, a um. Inactive, dull, sluggish, etc. BANGS AND BAKBOUR: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 217 Characters. — Similar to Craspedoprion olimccus aequinoctialis (Sclciter) of eastern Ecuador and eastern Colombia, but larger; upper- parts brighter, yellower, less dusky olive-green; chest and breast paler, yellower; lower underparts much brighter yellow. Similar also to C. o. flaws Chapman of the Santa ]\Iarta region of Colombia and of about the same size; the upperparts similar, but underparts very much deeper and richer yellow, (lemon-yellow), on the belly; the olivaceus flammulations of chest and breast darker, less grayish. Wing in seven males, 74-77; in one female 71. Remarks. — In 1914 when Chapman named his C. o. flavus from Santa Marta he gave its range as extending north to Panama, explain- ing that lack of proper material had caused the Panama bird to be called C. aequinoctialis. At that time Chapman had two Panama skins only. Since then the American Museum has received a series from eastern Panama collected by Richardson, these have kindly been lent to us and agree exactly with ours, and differ much from a good series from Santa Marta lent by the Carnegie Museum (^Y. E. C. Todd). The color of the underparts in flavus of Santa Marta is much nearer to the color of the underparts in C. olivaceus guianensis McConnell of the Guianas and Venezuela (the forms of course differ in other respects) than it is to the rich, bright yellow of the lowerparts in the new bird from eastern Panama. 102. Tyranniscus vilissimus parvus (Lawrence). One adult male, Mt. Sapo, 23 April, 1922. This species may well be more abundant than the appearance of only a single specimen in the collection would indicate. Such ex- cessivelv small birds are reallv onh' found bv chance. 103. Myiozetetes cayanensis harterti Bangs and Penard. Three adults, two males and a female, Jesusito, April, 1922. Though somewhat intermediate, these skins are nearer to harterti than to M. c. hellmayi, Hartert and Goodson, of v>'estern Colombia and northwest Ecuador. This is one of a number of species which were only found about the lower Jesusito camp where there was more or less of a clearing near by. It was not a bird of the forest at all. 218 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 104. Myiozetetes granadensis Lawrence. Two adults, male and female, Jesusito, April, 1922. These are slightly darker above and perhaps a little deeper yellow below than Canal Zone birds, in this respect being like skins from western Colombia. This difference haA'ing already been pointed out by Chapman. It seems to us, as it did to Chapman, that the form is not worthy of recognition. This is another species, with king bird-like habits to which the same remarks apply as the preceding. 105. PiPROMORPHA oleaginea parca Bangs. Five adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito. 106. MiONECTEs OLiVACEus HEDERACEus Bangs. Four adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. These specimens are much nearer hedcraccus of western Colombia than they are to M. o. olivaceus Lawrence of Costa Rica and western Panama. 107. Cnipodectes subbrunxeus subbrunneus (Sclater). Four males, Rio Esnape, April, 1922. All large birds, (wing, 94-97 mm.). Ridgway recognized a large and small species occurring together. Hellmayr claims that the small examples are immature, but retains the name C. s. minor Sclater for the form ranging from eastern Peru to western Brazil, which he says differs slightly in color. This was an inhabitant of the deepest woods, whereas very few other members of the family were found there. 108. Myiobius atricaudus atricaudus LawTence. Two adults, male and female, Jesusito, April, 1922. A common bird of the open clearings, this and many other tyrant birds abound near the Indian's field, but as we confined nearly all of our work to the forest, few appear in the collection. 109. Myiodius sulphureipygius aureatus Bangs. Thirteen adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. BANGS And BARBOUR : BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 219 This species occurred not only about the open clearings but where there were small sun-lit openings along the streams as well. 110. Terenotriccus erythrurus fulvigularis (Salvin and (Godman). Five adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 111. XuTTALLORNis BOREALis MAJORiNUS Bangs and Penard. One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. One afternoon a small, dull colored bird came to the "Cotinga Tree," fed upon the fruit and was promptly shot. When picked up it proved to be this familiar compatriot. The date seems rather late. 112. Myiochanes virens (Linne). Three adults, male and two females, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. 113. Myiarchus crinitus crinitus (Linne). One adult female, Jesusito, 9 April, 1922. 114. Myiarchus ferox panamensis (Lawrence). One adult male, Mt. Sapo, 26 April, 1922. 115. Myiarchus tuberculifer nigriceps Sclater. Four adult females, Rio Esnape and Jesusito, April, 1922. Another of the species most characteristic of the clearings. 116. Myiodynastes luteiventris Sclater. Three adults, male and two females, Mt. Sapo and Jesusito, April, 1922. These birds were shot from a feeding tree which was often visited from the upper Jesusito camp. The tree was very high and many birds escaped. This species was a frequent visitor and fed greedily on the fruit. The specimens shot staining freely about the vent from the fruit-juices after the manner of some Cotingas. It is hard to believe that this species is not in very truth a Cotinga and not a tyrannid at all. This, indeed, seems about certain. 220 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 117. Myiodynastes maculatus nobilis (Sclater). One adult female, Mt. Sapo, 24 April, 1922. This example agrees in all of the distinguishing characters, longer wing (109 mm.); olive not cinnamomeus pileum; much paler and on primaries much narrower, wing-edgings, and much more narrowly streaked undertail coverts, with M. m. iiwoley^s Ridgway of southeast Mexico. If that form were migratory, which we believe it is not, this skin would of course be referred to it. Probably our bird is in reality an aberrant example of 7wbilis which approaches very close to insolcns through indi\-idual variation. We have often seen such instances before, sometimes with island forms. This is another species from the " Cotinga Tree" which may be mis- placed in the system. 118. Tyr.anxus tyrannus (Linne). Three adults, two males and a female, Jesusito, April, 1922. This and the following were common yellow-billed king birds of the clearings. 119. Tyrannus melancholicus chloronotus Berlepsch. Three adults, two males and a female, Jesusito, April, 1922. OXYRUNCIDAE. 120. Oxyruncus brooksi, sp. nov. Three adults, male and two females, INIt. Sapo, April, 1922. Type.— M. C. Z. 87,199 adult &, E. Panama: Mt. Sapo, 25 April, 1922. Barbour, Brooks, and Underwood. Characters. — Similar to Oxyruncus f rater (Sclater and Salvin) of Costa Rica and western Panama, but at once distinguished by having white, not yellow, underparts; similar also to 0. hypoglaucus (Salvin and Godman) of British Guiana and with white underparts as in that form, but with upperparts, paler and brighter, more yellowish, olive- green; larger wing-coverts broadly margined with light yellow; secondaries also widely margined terminally with light yellow; under- parts with smaller and fewer blackish spots (than in any form), which became very sparse and indistinct on flanks and sides; flanks and sides washed with dull pale yellow; tail shorter. BANGS AND BARBOITK: BIRDS FROM DARIEN. 221 Remarks. — It gives us great pleasure to name this fine new form in honor of W. Sprague Brooks, who did so much to make the trip a success. To find in eastern Panama a very distinct and white-beUied sharp- bill was indeed a surprise. We are, however, rather inclined to be- lie\'e, that the new form, in spite of its white underparts is more nearly related to the yellow-bellied f rater than it is to the only other white- bellied form, hi/poghtucus of Mt. Roraima. We have not followed the custom of modern ornithologists in allow- ing subspeeific rank only, to the various forms of the sharp-bill. The discontinuous distribution of the species in tropical America, together with the excellent characters shown, may well, we think, be used as an argument for considering them all full species. The birds have the habits of Cotingas and these specimens came to the feeding tree in company with several species of Cotingidae. It is not improbable that the Oxyruncidae is scarcely separable from the Cotingidae. TURDIDAE. 121. Hylocichla ustulata swainsonii (Cabanis). Four adults, both sexes, Mt. Sapo, Rio Esnape, and Jesusito, April, 1922. 122. TuRDUs TRiSTis DAGUAE Berlepsch. Five specimens, three adults, two males and a female and two spotted young, Mt. Sapo, April, 1'922. A deep wood thrush with the actions and appearance«of our familiar robin but naturally in a very strange setting. TROGLODYTIDAE. 123. Pheugopedius fasciato-ventris albigularis (Sclater). One adult, male, Jesusito, 8 April, 1922. Most of the tropical wrens encountered were birds of the scattered 222 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. patches of thick coppet and of the tangles of AJnes and creepers in the deep lowland forest. Some species, liowever, were decidedly ter- restriid with the habits of ant-thnishes. 124. Henrorhina leucosticta darienensis Hellmayr. Kio-ht adults, both sexes, Rio Esnape and Jesusito, April, 1922. 125. Tmryophilt's nigricapillus schottii (Baird). h'onr ;i(hilts, hotli sexes, Jesusito, April, 1922. 12(). Thryophilt^s galbraithii galbraithii (LawTence). Two adults, male and female, Mt. Sapo, 25 April, 1922. Though these skins just match some individuals from the Canal Zone, they are, howe\er, as Chapman has already pointed out, slightly darker and less rufescent than the average from that region; where- fore we agree that the dift'erentiation is too trifling to be considered of subspecific \alue. 127. MiCROCERCT'LTTS PHILOMELA LT^SCINIA vSalvin. Tw^o specimens, male and female, Mt. Sapo, April, 1922. One of these, an adult female, 86,985, has the feathers of the chest and breast, gray with W-shaped markings of grayish white at their tips, below which is a dusky spot. It is somewhat closely similar to a specimen (121,307 M. C. Z.) from El General, Costa Rica. The other, a male, perhaps somewhat immature, though its back is plain ^'andyke-brown, without dusky bars, has the chest and breast dark brownish gray, the whole underparts, crossed by fine, faint dusky bars. This skin also is very much like some birds from Costa Rica. ^^e follow ( 'arriker, (Birds of Costa Rica, p. 753) in allowing but one form to Costa Rica and Panama, which for the present we consider a sul)species of phiJomrJa of Guatemala. \N e huxe had for comparison one specimen only, an immature individual from Guatemala, which matches closelV some of the Costa Rican immatures. This curious little creature has the mouse-like habits of the tiny rails only it was a denison of the deepest, darkest, high and rather open woo