344 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I50 



ARAMIDES CAJANEA CAJANEA (MiiUer) 



Fulica cajanea P. L. S. Muller, VoUstand. Natursyst. Suppl. Register-Band, 

 1776, p. 119. (Cayenne.) 



Characters. — Averaging somewhat larger; darker in color, above 

 and on the under surface. 



Measurements. — Males (8 from Panama), wing 172-192 (182.2), 

 tail 57.8-71.8 (62.9), culmen from base 51.0-58.3 (53.2), tarsus 

 70.0-81.0 (75.8) mm. 



Females (9 from Panama), wing 174-184 (179.1), tail 57.5-67.1 

 (63.8), culmen from base 50.0-54.1 (52.0), tarsus 69.0-81.6 (75.2) 

 mm. 



Resident. Coastal lowlands throughout the Republic, mainly in the 

 larger river valleys ; found locally in the subtropical zone ; in Chiriqui 

 a few range to 1,000 to 1,300 meters on the southern and western 

 mountain slopes; in Los Santos to 1,000 meters on Cerro Hoya; in 

 Darien to 1,400 meters on Cerro Mali: Isla Coiba; Isla Cebaco; re- 

 ported on Isla Parida. 



The open nest of these birds is built of twigs, dried weed stems, 

 and similar materials placed in a bush or low tree over or near water, 

 at an elevation of a meter to 5 or 6 meters above the surface. Usually 

 it is well concealed, and when seen may not be distinguished from 

 other masses of dried vegatation left amid the branches by flood 

 waters. The well formed inner depression normally holds 3 to 5 

 eggs. Belcher and Smooker (Ibis, 1935, p. 282) record exceptional 

 sets of 6 and 7. A set of 3 in the U. S. National Museum taken by 

 Smooker on the Caroni River, Trinidad, on September 3, 1931, vary 

 from subelliptical to oval and are somewhat glossy, with a very slightly 

 roughened shell. Two are pale cream color, while the third is pale 

 buff. All are marked sparingly with small spots of cinnamon, chest- 

 nut, and lavender, mainly near the larger end. They measure 46.7 X 

 33.3, 46.8x32.4, and 46.8x33.5 mm. Belcher and Smooker state 

 that some eggs are marked with "scrawlings and hair Hnes of 

 brown." 



These rails are hunted to some extent but are not common enough 

 to be regarded as game birds. 



Three that I secured on Isla Coiba are equal in size to typical 

 cajanea of the mainland, but are slightly darker. Occasional main- 

 land specimens, however, approach their color closely. The tendency 

 toward deepened pigmentation, common in birds resident on Coiba, 

 thus is indicated, but not sufficiently to warrant recognition by name. 



