292 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



.83 inch" (equivalent to 29x21 mm). He recorded the nest as "in an 

 old woodpecker hole ... in an old stump. The bottom of the nest 

 . . . was without any lining whatever." 



Skutch (Auk, 1946, pp. 327-362) in a detailed account of the habits 

 of this race as observed in Panama and Costa Rica, described a nest 

 at Barro Colorado Island in a large cavity in a dead trunk, standing 

 in the water of Gatun Lake. This contained two eggs "dark buff or, 

 better, the color of coffee with milk, heavily marbled, especially on 

 the thicker end with brown. A few small, scattered, black spots 

 completed their decoration. They measured 30.2 by 20.6 and 29.8 X 

 21.4 millimeters." 



He recorded other nests, usually, but not always, in dead trees, 

 frequently in holes made by woodpeckers. In the area of his studies 

 in the mountains of Costa Rica the holes made by the common 

 Golden-naped Woodpecker (Centurus chrysauchen) were a usual 

 choice. Rarely he found nests located from 12 to 20 meters above the 

 ground in cavities formed by the attachment of the broad bases of 

 leaf stems to the trunk in feather palms. The nest cavity is filled with 

 fragments of dead leaves, twigs, and dried flowers all gathered in 

 the trees. The birds are never seen on the ground. The female 

 collects this material alone. The male, who follows her back and 

 forth, may carry a leaf or a bit of twig to the entrance but usually lets 

 it fall to the ground. Selection of the nest hole is made by the female, 

 since the male, her regular companion, does not enter until the eggs 

 hatch, when he shares in feeding the young. The female does not 

 sleep in the nest hole until incubation begins, a duty that she carries 

 on alone. During this period she leaves the nest often during the 

 day. Usually on return she brings a bit of leaf to add to the nest 

 material. This is rather loosely arranged. In the only cavity ac- 

 cessible. Dr. Skutch found the eggs completely covered by the leaves 

 and other nest material. A second nesting may follow soon after the 

 young are on the wing. 



Cotingas do not seem at all quarrelsome, as at the Barro Colorado 

 Island location mentioned the same tree housed nests of a pair of 

 Blue-headed Parrots, one of the Noble Flycatcher, and one of the 

 Black-winged Palm Tanager. They do, however, annoy woodpeckers 

 by filling their newly excavated nest holes with leaves and other litter, 

 until finally the woodpeckers tire of cleaning this out and leave. 

 The same may happen with holes where the Aragari Toucans sleep. 

 Among their own species the cotingas appear to be territorial, as no 

 other pairs of their own kind locate near them. The nesting period 

 seems to extend from the end of February through May. 



