238 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



Description. — Length 165-185 mm. Tail about as long as bill; 

 tarsus very long, about half as long as wing; a small bare area behind 

 eye. Adult male, crown and upper hindneck black ; a chestnut band 

 across hindneck ; back, rump, and upper tail coverts olive-brown, with 

 the feathers of back edged with black, producing indistinct streaks ; 

 wings chestnut-brown ; wing coverts with narrow spots of white or 

 buff, bordered with black ; tertials with a terminal spot of bufif ; outer 

 webs of primaries cinnamon ; lower margin of lores white mixed 

 with chestnut ; feathers around eye white, more broadly on lower lid ; 

 side of head chestnut, mixed somewhat with black, or in one race 

 wholly black ; chin and throat black, mixed in greater or less amount 

 with narrow shaft lines or spots of white and chestnut ; breast and 

 abdomen white, barred heavily with black ; flanks light brown ; 

 under tail coverts buff to tawny, with a circular subterminal line of 

 black ; under wing coverts dull olive-brown, with edge of wing and 

 distal under coverts dull white. 



Immature (specimens in British Museum collected by McLeannan), 

 barring on lower surface reduced, especially on the center of the 

 breast, with a buffy wash on the sides and upper breast. 



These are forest birds that live on the ground in dense under- 

 growth, where they keep carefully concealed. Probably they may be 

 present in greater number than is now known from the few occasions 

 when one is seen. It is certain that their total population has been 

 reduced decidedly through forest clearing. 



As a species this ant-pitta is found from eastern Costa Rica 

 through Panama (mainly from the Canal Zone eastward) to extreme 

 northern Choco, in northwestern Colombia. Two races, differing 

 in depth of color, have been recognized. 



PITTASOMA MICHLERI ZELEDONI Ridgway 



Pittasoma michleri ::eledoni Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. 6, April 11, 

 1884, p. 414. (Rio Sucio, Heredia, Costa Rica.) 



Characters. — Somewhat darker, more rufous above; side of head, 

 including the rictal area, black, only the ear coverts brown. 



Measurements. — Males (6 from Bocas del Toro and Costa Rica), 

 wing 96.2-103.9 (100.5), tail 32.4-35.5 {ZZ.Z), culmen from base 

 29.7-32.3 (31.4, average of 5), tarsus 48.2-52.0 (50.1) mm. 



Females (3 from Bocas del Toro and Costa Rica), wing 94.1-98.8 

 (95.1), tail 30.7-35.2 (32.2), culmen from base 30.2-32.0 (30.8), 

 tarsus 48.8-51.1 (50.2) mm. 



Resident. Rare in the heavy forests of western Bocas del Toro. 



