398 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



MYIODYNASTES MACULATUS DIFFICILIS Zimmer 



Myiodynasfcs inaciiUitus difficilis Zimmer, Amer. Mus. Nov., no. 963, November 

 18, 1937, p. 9. (Bebedero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.) 



Characters. — Lighter colored above ; crown and hindneck decidedly 

 buff ; back also with buffy borders on the darker streaks. 



In several specimens, including both sexes, the iris was dark brown, 

 occasionally slightly more reddish ; maxilla and tip of mandible 

 fuscous-black to black ; rest of mandible dull white to flesh color ; 

 tarsus and toes dark to dusky neutral gray ; claws black. 



Measurements. — Males ( 16 from Chiriqui to Darien and San 

 Bias), wing 104.4-110.8 (107.4), tail 79.0-86.0 (83.2), culmen from 

 base 24.0-29.0 (26.9). tarsus 20.0-21.7 (20.5) mm. 



Females (14 from Chiriqui to Darien and San Bias), wing 101.5- 

 106.0 (103.4), tail 77.1-84.8 (81.2), culmen from base 25.5-29.5 

 (27.4). tarsus 19.3-21.7 (20.3) mm. 



Resident. Common, widely distributed through the tropical low- 

 lands, a few ranging to higher levels ; on the Pacific slope from west- 

 ern Chiriqui to eastern Darien, including the Azuero Peninsula ; to 

 1675 meters on the western and eastern sides of \'olcan Baru. On 

 the Caribbean slope, from El Uracillo, northern Code, east through 

 the northern Canal Zone, the lower Chagres Valley, and the Province 

 of Colon to eastern San Bias (Puerto Obaldia) ; recorded on the 

 Pacific coast in the Archipielago de las Perlas (islas Pacheca, Saboga, 

 Chapera. Rey. Pedro Gonzalez, and San Jose) ; in Golfo de Montijo 

 on Isla Cebaco ; Isla Coiba ; in the Islas Contreras (Isla Brincanco) ; 

 in Golfo de Chiriqui. on the islas Bolaiios and Parida. 



These attractive flycatchers are widely distributed in forest areas, 

 where often they are not easily seen as they may range in the top of 

 the high treecrown, hidden by leaves. They come also regularly to 

 forest edge, trees standing in pastures and fields to the borders of 

 mangrove swamps along the coast, and around any clearings when 

 second growth appears. It is usual to find them in pairs that rest 

 near one another, the sexes ordinarily readily evident because of 

 the larger size of the males. They are active in feeding, but other- 

 wise rather quiet since they are not unduly aggressive toward other 

 birds that come near, except occasionally around their nests. Even 

 then they pay little attention to tanagers. honeycreepers, and other 

 small birds, but may attack fiercely such nest predators as hawks and 

 toucans. 



Attention often is attracted to them by their calls, which can be 

 vociferous but usually are subdued — a rather metallic, nasal sounding 



