FAMILY ANATIDAE 143 



Panama (eastern) : Pacora, Rio La Jagua, Chico, El Llano, Chiman, Rio 



Curutii, Charcodel Tore on Rio Maje. 

 Darien : Pinogana, Boca de Cupe. 

 San Bias : Mandinga, Puerto Obaldia. 

 Isla Coiba: Several seen in January 1956; reported to be regular in 



occurrence. 



I have male and female specimens taken on the Rio La Jagua near 

 Chico, March 15, 1949. An albino was killed here by Gil Hulcher 

 on April 17, 1949. One banded at Lanz Lake, Rock County, Ne- 

 braska, on July 30, 1955, was killed at the head of tidewater on the 

 Rio Tonosi, below Tonosi, Los Santos, on February 22, 1958. 



The main flight from the north arrives in the latter half of October, 

 and the birds remain in numbers until the latter part of April. Early 

 records of fall arrival are as follows: September 18, 1945 (specimen 

 in Museo Nacional, from Puerto La Chorrera) ; September 22, 1931 

 (Puerto Obaldia, San Bias, specimen in Carnegie Museum) ; Septem- 

 ber 23, 1928 (Changuinola, specimen, Peters, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 

 vol. 71, 1931, p. 307) ; October 14, 1911 (Canal Zone, Jewel, Auk, 

 1913, p. 424) ; October 15, 1915 (Gamboa, Hallinan, Auk. 1924, p. 

 307). 



At the La Jagua Club I have noted regular evening flights from the 

 latter part of March into April and have observed these also in the 

 last week of March near the head of tidewater on the Rio Maje. 

 I believe that these were birds passing northward from wintering 

 grounds in South America. Karl Curtis recorded 3 of these teal 

 flying at La Jagua on May 20 and 21, 1949, an unusually late date. 

 The occasional bird found there through the period of northern 

 summer is undoubtedly a cripple from the winter shooting. The 

 flight in 1959, 1960 and 1961 was reported to be unusually small, 

 undoubtedly a reflection of the reduced numbers found these years in 

 the north. 



About ponds and lakes blue-winged teal range in small bands that 

 feed by dabbling in the shallows, and then rest and preen on some 

 secluded shore. Where not disturbed they become very tame, and 

 in travel on the rivers I have had flocks fly ahead of my piragua 

 repeatedly, often for considerable distances. Hundreds have been 

 reported on occasion from the seashore near the mouth of the Rio 

 Pacora. The largest concentrations that I have recorded personally 

 have been on the impounded waters of flooded fields near 

 Changuinola. 



On two occasions I have seen these teal alight on the open sea, 

 once off Punta Mala, where a bird rose to fly through a host of 

 circling terns, and once at high tide off Panama Viejo. 



