274 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I50 



Measurements. — Males (5 from Panama and Colombia), wing 

 352-385 (366),taill70-205 (191), culmen from cere 29.8-31.7 (30.5), 

 tarsus 87.5-92.8 (90.2) mm. 



Females (4 from Colombia and Venezuela) wing 355-388 (376), 

 tail 180-210 (198), culmen from cere 30.1-33.7 (31.8), tarsus 88.3- 

 95.5 (91.2) mm. 



Resident. On the Pacific slope, in the tropical lowlands, from 

 Tocumen east to Chiman and the Rio Maje ; Archipielago de las 

 Perlas (Isla Pacheca). 



While "Darien" is usually cited as a northern locality in the range 

 of this race, I have no record in Panama to the east and south of the 

 mouth of the Rio Maje, though it is probable that these birds range 

 to the Golfo de San Miguel. I have not found caracaras above the 

 gulf along the Rio Tuira, nor did I encounter them along the coast 

 to the south at Jaque. The only record for the Pearl Islands is of 

 2 taken on Pacheca by W. W. Brown, Jr., on April 14, 1904. 



This race of the carancho is common in the savanna country east 

 of Panama City, particularly between Pacora and Chepo where they 

 may be recorded during most days afield. The nesting period begins 

 toward the close of the dry season, as the birds pair at the beginning 

 of March. 



Near the mouth of the Rio Chico I saw one make passes at a 

 cormorant resting on a mud bar, until finally the latter scrambled into 

 the water. At La Jagua turtles lay their eggs in holes dug in the 

 slopes above the marsh. Caracaras search out these nests, scrape them 

 open with their feet, break the eggs and eat the contents. The 

 wrinkled, parchment-like shells beside the hole where they were laid 

 are a common sight. 



MILVAGO CHIMACHIMA CORDATUS Bangs and Penard: Yellow-headed 



Caracara; Chimango 



Milvago chimachima cordata Bangs and Penard, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 

 62, Apr. 1918, p. 35. (Isla del Rey, Archipielago de las Perlas, Panama.) 



A small hawk with buffy-white head and undersurface (streaked 

 below in the immature) and barred tail, found in open country, 

 regularly about cattle. In flight the markings of the underside of the 

 wing often show as a light bar. 



Description. — Length, 400 to 430 mm. Adult, head, hindneck, and 

 undersurface, including the under wing coverts, warm buff to buffy 

 white ; slender filaments fringing eyelids, and a narrow streak on the 

 side of the head behind the eye, brownish black, wings and back 

 fuscous-black, the back, scapulars, and inner wing coverts margined 



