496 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 3 



348) has made interesting observations on their nesting. Nest build- 

 ing began in late March and April. The birds ranged in pairs, with 

 the male regularly in attendance, but with building and incubation 

 by the female alone. When the young hatched, the male aided in 

 bringing food, given in part, however, to the female. The nests were 

 small cups suspended in forks at the end of small branches. Oc- 

 casionally attachment was to twigs or to a vine on one side and a leaf 

 on the other. The latter ordinarily failed when the leaf connection 

 shriveled. Males were active in nest defense, regularly threatening 

 much larger birds, when however their irritation usually was dis- 

 regarded. 



The eggs, two in a set, "are dull white or pale buff, with a wreath 

 of reddish brown speckles or blotches around the thick end, and 

 sometimes a few spots of the same color scattered over the remaining 

 surface." Measurements of 12 averaged 17.3x13.0 mm, with ex- 

 tremes of 19.1 X 13.5 and 16.3 X 11.9 mm. The young bore gray down 

 at hatching. 



The nominate form, M. f. fasciatus, found in Colombia, is some- 

 what larger, darker in color above, whiter, less yellowish below, but 

 with somewhat heavier streaking on the breast. The following 

 measurements of 10 males from northern Colombia, in comparison 

 with those above of furfiirosus, will serve to indicate the slight size 

 difference : 



Males (10 from Antioquia, Magdalena, Guajira, and Norte de 

 Santander), wing 58.2-64.0 (60.9), tail 51.6-57.2 (55.4), culmen 

 from base 12.4-13.5 (12.8), tarsus 16.6-17.6 (17.1) mm. 



ONYCHORHYNCHUS MEXICANUS FRATERCULUS Bangs: 

 Royal Flycatcher, Atrapamoscas Real 



Figure 43 



Onychorhynchus mexicanus fratercuhis Bangs, Proc. New England Zool. Club, 

 vol. 3, March 31, 1902, p. 86. (Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia.) 



Medium size ; brown, with a prominent crest, reddish orange in 

 male, orange in female. 



Description. — Length 155-170 mm. A conspicuous, elongate crest, 

 expanding laterally. Adult male, crest centrally orange-red, tipped 

 with black spots, edged distally with violet to steel blue ; forehead 

 narrowly dusky brown, with a whitish spot on the basal feathering 

 back of the nostril ; side of crest, back of head, back, upper rump, 

 scapulars and wings olive-brown ; middle and greater wing coverts 

 and tertials with small distal triangular spots of buff ; lower rump and 



