470 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



52.0 (50.4), culmen from base 13.0-14.2 (13.6), tarsus 15.5-16.5 

 (16.0) mm. 



Resident. Locally common in western Panama from the upper 

 edge of the Tropical Zone through the subtropical region from the 

 Costa Rican boundary east on the Pacific slope along the central 

 mountain range to eastern Veraguas (Chitra), and on the Caribbean 

 side to northern Veraguas (Calovevora) ; to 2225 meters on the 

 Boquete trail above Cerro Punta, and 2040 meters above Uoquete 

 (Casita Alta). 



These small flycatchers range in undergrowth in highland forests, 

 partly in areas of rather dense growth, partly where the cover is more 

 open. They are alert in seizing small insects on the wing, and also 

 pick off those resting or moving over twigs or leaves. In such move- 

 ments they are quick and graceful, often raising the feathers at the 

 back of the crown as a pointed crest. Usually they perch low, a meter 

 or two above the ground or. in open areas, may range to 8 or 10 

 meters or more. The call is a low and sibilant zvee sin. Skutch in 

 Costa Rica heard males uttering these notes continuously in a dawn- 

 song that ceased before sunrise. 



Near El Volcan ovaries in females showed development by mid- 

 February. In Costa Rica Skutch (Publ. Nutt. Orn. Club, no. 7, 1967, 

 pp. 84-85) reported nests with eggs at the end of April. One of these 

 was "in a deep fissure in the side of a living cypress tree in an open 

 grove." a second was "in an open niche in the side of a large, spread- 

 ing epiphyte-laden tree standing alone in a pasture." The third was 

 a meter or more above the base of a cut bank "beside a little-used 

 roadway between pastures." The nests "were bulky masses of green 

 moss, or of mosses and liverworts, interlaced with a few fibrous 

 rootlets, horsehairs, or similar building materials." The open cup 

 in one held three eggs "dull white, speckled and blotched with pale 

 brownish cinnamon, thickly on the broader end, more sparingly else- 

 where." They measured 17.1x14.0, 17.6x14.0, and 17.5x14.2 mm. 

 Blake (Condor. 1956, p. 387) described two nests collected by 

 Monniche near Lerida. above Boquete April 13 and May 26, 1932, one 

 with three eggs, the other with two. They were "dull creamy white, 

 with chestnut-rufous spots and blotches concentrated chiefly at the 

 larger end." Measurements of one clutch: 18 X 14.5, 18 X 14.5, 18.5 X 

 14 mm. 



According to Skutch, only the female incubated. The male did not 

 feed her, though he remained nearby, and occasionally during her 

 absence examined the eggs, clinging to the bark of the tree, or hover- 



