374 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 2 



of base of mandible fuscous ; rest of bill black ; tarsus and toes 

 fuscous-black ; claws black. 



Measurements. — Males (10 from Volcan de Chiriqui), wing 41.0- 

 42.8 (41.6), tail 267-29.1 (27.5), culmen from base 12.2-13.8 

 (12.9) mm. 



Females (10 from Volcan de Chiriqui), wing 40.8-44.8 (42.5), 

 tail 25.1-27.2 (26.1), culmen from base 13.0-15.2 (14.1 average of 

 9) mm. 



Resident. Fairly common in the upper Subtropical and Temperate 

 Zones on Volcan Baru, Chiriqui, where it ranges from 1,700 to 3,100 

 meters. 



I have found them regularly on the western side of the volcano 

 back of Cerro Punta, and lower down on the slopes above the lava 

 flows near the trail leading to the summit of the mountain. Above 

 Boquete they have been recorded from near the Finca Lerida to 

 Cerro Copete, and on the higher slopes toward the summit. 



They feed at flowers, found low down in forest, or scattered 

 over the more open slopes. In the lower levels I have encountered 

 them in company with the smaller scintillant hummingbird, at the 

 tall, flowering spikes of yuccas. Like the smaller species they may 

 rest on open perches for the warmth of the sun in spots protected 

 from mountain winds. At large blossoms they often cling to the 

 plant stem as they probe the corollas. The dull-colored gorget may 

 appear almost black when the birds are distant. Like their smaller 

 companions when feeding they move slowly from flower to flower. 

 I am indebted to Dr. Eugene Eisenmann for a record of the nest of 

 this interesting bird that he found October 1, 1965, at about 2,100 

 meters elevation above Cerro Punta on the trail known as Camino a 

 Boquete. According to Dr. Eisenmann's notes "the nest was a downy 

 cup ornamented with some lichens, in a bush at the edge of a hillside 

 pasture" somewhat less than 2 meters above the ground. The female 

 was flushed from the nest, but there were no eggs. 



On Volcan de Chiriqui all males of this group of hummingbirds, 

 from the specimens seen or recorded, have dull-colored gorgets, vary- 

 ing from grayish green to grayish purple. These birds have been 

 described as a distinct species torridus. In typical flammula of Costa 

 Rica this marking is reddish purple. Occasionally one of that northern 

 population has the gorget colored as in the torridus style, but this 

 modification seems rare and unusual. In the American Museum of 

 Natural History there are 4 of this style from Volcan Irazu among 

 22 of the normal color. I find 1 among 23 males of flammula in the 



