296 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 2 



have had the throat filled with these insects. They also glean insects 

 with the nectar that attracts them to flowers, as the stomach of one 

 from Portobelo held bits of ants, a tiny bee, and small beetles. They 

 rest regularly on open perches 10 to 20 meters from the ground. 



On Barro Colorado Island breeding is recorded from December 

 to March. Chapman (Tropical Air Castle, 1929, pp. 132-146) found 

 them building their open, cup-shaped nests near the outer end of 

 long limbs, on one occasion in an exposed situation not protected by 

 leaves. The female, always alone, was aggressive to any other birds 

 that came near, routing all intruders ranging from crow-size oropen- 

 dolas down to blue-gray tanagers. In one season a female, beginning 

 in January, reared 2 young that finally left the nest toward the end 

 of February. Sixteen days later the female occupied the same nest 

 for a second brood. 



Schonwetter (Handb. Ool., pt. 11, 1966, p. 669) gives measure- 

 ments for 12 eggs as 14.3-15.9x9.8-10.8 mm. 



This is another species of wide range in the tropical lowlands of 

 South America from the north coast, including Trinidad and Tobago, 

 south to Corrientes in northern Argentina, Paysandu in northern 

 Uruguay, and southern Brazil. It reaches its northern limit in central 

 Panama. In spite of this extensive range no definite variations cor- 

 related with geographic area are evident. The main differences seen 

 are in the shade of metallic green of the upper surface, which varies 

 from a copper tone through bronze to deep green. A race iridescens 

 that has been associated with nigricollis is placed by Zimmer (Amer. 

 Mus. Nov., no. 1463, 1950, pp. 9-11) under the species Anthraco- 

 thorax prevostii. Vieillot, in his original description, listed nigricollis 

 as from Brazil. Zimmer (loc. cit., p. 7) suggests Belem, Para, as 

 restricted type locality. 



KLAIS GUIMETI MERRITTII (Lawrence): Violet-crowned 

 Hummingbird, Colibri Cabeciviolaceo 



Mellisnga merrittii Lawrence, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, vol. 7, April 

 1860, p. 110. (El Mineral, Veraguas, Panama.) 



Small ; green above, small white spot behind the eye, crown blue ; 

 male with dark blue gorget. 



Description. — Length 75-84 mm. Adult male, crown metallic 

 violet-blue, changing to deep green on hindneck; back, wing coverts, 

 and sides metallic green ; upper tail coverts and tail bluish green, 

 tipped lightly with white, the lateral pairs of rectrices with a broad 

 subterminal band of dusky ; wings dusky with a purplish sheen ; 



