350 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I50 



Eisenmann (Condor, 1957, p. 250) reported two of these rails seen 

 near Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, on June 30, 1956. 



From the records available it is evident. that this species is widely 

 distributed in Panama. The series of 10 that I have taken agree in 

 size, and in extent and depth of the deep buff to cinnamon-buff on 

 the forepart of the body, with the typical race of northern South 

 America. 



The race Porzana flaviventer woodi named from El Salvador, and 

 known now from northern Veracruz in Mexico, and from the Rio 

 San Juan in Nicaragua, is smaller, and paler in the colors mentioned. 



PORZANA CAROLINA (Linnaeus): Sora; Cocalequita Pasajera 



Rallus carolinus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 1758, p. 153. (Northeastern 

 Manitoba.) 



Breast gray; back olive brown, streaked with black, and lined 

 with white. 



Description. — Length 190-200 mm. Adult male, center of crown, 

 forehead, loral area, side of head to eyes, throat and foreneck black ; 

 line from fore crown back over eyes, side of head behind eyes, side 

 of neck, and breast light gray; line on either side of black crown, 

 back of neck, and upper back dull buffy brown, changing to light 

 olive-brown on back and scapulars, the whole marked with irregular 

 streaks of black, and lined with white; wings fuscous, edged with 

 dull buffy brown ; wing coverts dull buffy brown ; lower breast and 

 abdomen white ; under tail coverts white, washed with buff ; sides 

 and flanks dull black, barred with white. 



Females have the black of head and throat reduced, and more 

 white on the back. 



Immature birds have still less black on the throat and foreneck. 



Measurements. — Males (10 specimens), wing 103.0-109.5 (106.7), 

 tail 43.5-53.0 (47.9), culmen 20.0-22.0 (21.1), tarsus 31.0-33.5 (32.7) 

 mm. 



Females (10 specimens), wing 99.5-104.5 (101.1), tail 40.0-49.0 

 (45.6), culmen 18.0-22.0 (19.5), tarsus 27.0-31.0 (29.2) mm. 



Migrant from the north. Fairly common ; recorded from October 

 1 to March 18: Reported from Chiriqui, Veraguas, Bocas del Toro, 

 Canal Zone, eastern Province of Panama, San Bias; Isla Coiba. 



These rails are found in fresh-water marshes, areas of wet lands 

 grown with low sedges and grasses, and along the open banks of low- 

 land streams and drainage ditches. In such localities they range in 

 company with the white-throated rail and like that species are seen 

 walking and skulking under cover. They often fly short distances 



