434 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA — PART 2 



and the Rio Tuira on the Pacific slope. They range low down, 

 seldom fly in the open, and in foothill areas live in heavily shaded 

 quebradas. There, their dark forms are barely visible as they rise 

 quietly, fly low, and disappear around a bend in the stream. Only 

 rarely does the light catch the reflection of the narrow, pale band 

 across the hindneck. When encountered at rest they sometimes twitch 

 the tail and nod the head like the green kingfisher, but more often 

 they rest quietly behind a screen of leaves. 



Those that I have examined have eaten small fish, or in one a 

 small decapod crustacean. In the mangrove swamps near Almirante 

 at the beginning of February they may have been preparing to nest, 

 as on several occasions they were more active than usual. It was 

 there that I heard them calling, first a twitter, followed by a rapidly 

 repeated note, too-too-too-too, all in low tone. 



The records of Schonwetter (Handb. Ool., pt. 11, 1966, p. 694) 

 report 7 eggs from "Panama bis O.-Peru. u. Santa Catharina" with 

 measurements of 26.0-28.7 X 21.6-23.2 mm. 



From the excellent series now available the two geographic races 

 that have been described in this species may be recognized from 

 the summary that follows, though in the main on other differences 

 than those suggested in the original description. 



Chloroceryle inda inda (Linnaeus) 



Alcedo inda Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 179. (Guiana.) 



Females, and to a lesser degree males, with back, rump, and upper 

 tail coverts with considerable speckling of white ; wings with more 

 extensive white markings ; tail averaging slightly longer. 



Measurements. — Males (7 specimens from Guyana, Amapa, and 

 Para), wing 90.5-96.8 (93.7), tail 62.4-65.7 (64.4), culmen from 

 base 49.5-54.8 (52.5), tarsus 10.2-11.1 (10.8) mm. 



Females (10 from Surinam, Amapa, and Para), wing 94.4-100.6 

 (96.4), tail 61.2-66.9 (64.7), culmen from base 49.5-57.7 (52.1), 

 tarsus 10.5-11.7 (11.3) mm. 



The Guianas, and eastern Brazil from Amapa and Para south 

 to Santa Catharina. 



Chloroceryle inda chocoensis Todd 



Dorsal surface, except the wings, plain or very slightly spotted with 

 white ; tail averaging slightly shorter. 



In making comparisons it should be remembered that immature 



