FAMILY RALLIDAE 35 1 



when approached, but also may crouch and hide. I have found them 

 occasionally climbing about in marsh growth that stood in water 

 about a meter in depth. 

 In Panama they are most common on the Caribbean slope. 



LATERALLUS ALBIGULARIS (Lawrence): White-throated Rail; 

 Carrasqueadora 



Figure 58 



Small ; throat white, with sides of neck and breast reddish brown. 



Description. — Length 130 to 150 mm. Adult (sexes alike), above, 

 reddish brown throughout, or (in the race cinereiceps) with crown 

 dark gray, and back and wings reddish brown ; wing coverts in some 

 individuals plain, in others barred with white ; throat white ; sides 

 of neck and breast rufous brown ; rest of lower surface, including 

 flanks and under tail coverts, white barred with black ; in some the 

 center of the breast and abdomen white. 



Immature, neck and sides dark gray, with only a slight amount 

 of rufous-brown ; center of breast and abdomen white ; sides and 

 flanks dusky neutral gray, barred lightly with white. 



Downy young, black. 



An adult female of the typical form L. a. alhigularis that I took 

 at El Real, January 22, 1964, had the iris orange-red ; base of maxilla 

 below nostril, cutting edge except at tip, and basal three-fourths of 

 mandible greenish neutral gray ; rest of basal half of maxilla fuscous 

 black ; tip of maxilla and mandible fuscous ; front of crus, tarsus, 

 and toes dull yellowish brown; back of crus fuscous black; back of 

 tarsus dull greenish brown ; claws fuscous. 



This is the most common of the rails in the republic, found in 

 the tropical zone, where it ranges along the wet borders of streams 

 wherever there is cover, and in marshy areas in general. Occasionally 

 there is a glimpse of one as it runs or flies a few meters across some 

 open space, but usually their presence is known from their rattling, 

 chattering calls that are given at any alarm. Though this note is 

 heard regularly it is seldom that the bird is seen in its delivery, so 

 that it was several years before I was certain of the identity of the 

 bird, though frequently the rail calls from a distance of a few meters. 

 The note is a rapid repetition that begins suddenly, is repeated for 

 several seconds, and then terminates more slowly. Often when one 

 calls two or three nearby answer. 



In the period of rains these rails range widely away from the 

 marshes in any low cover, but in dry season, though they may come 



