FAMILY PICIDAE 53 1 



with groups of honey-creepers through the high leaf canopy. Almost 

 invariably they are encountered in pairs or 4 or 5 together, the latter 

 seemingly being family groups. In feeding they search rapidly through 

 creepers or other cover, or at need settle down to hammer rapidly 

 and persistently in true woodpecker style to dig out some larval morsel. 

 The steady percussion of such efforts earns them the common name 

 of telegrafista, as the sound simulates the measured rattling of the 

 old-style telegraph instrument. This is the most audible of the sounds 

 that they produce as the call notes are low. Other sounds, heard less 

 often, are low and trilling. Their food is composed of a variety of 

 insects including numerous ants. 



In moving about the birds creep like nuthatches supported by the 

 strong feet. Regularly they rest perched crosswise on small twigs 

 in a manner common to most small birds. Skutch (Anim. Kingdom, 

 1956, p. 55) found pairs sleeping together in a tree hole cut out for 

 the purpose. Young of the first brood remain with the parents while 

 a second set of eggs is incubated and hatched, all living companionably 

 in the nest hole. 



The salivary glands in these birds are well developed, rather nar- 

 row, and extend to the back of the cranium. In one individual they 

 were 15 mm. long. 



It is probable that piculets often are overlooked in the forest 

 because of their quiet mannerisms and low calls. 



Two geographic races are recognized in Panama. 



PICUMNUS OLIVACEUS FLAVOTINCTUS Ridgway 



Picumnus flavotinctus Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 11, Sept. 20, 1889, 

 p. 543. (Pozo Azul de Pirris, Costa Rica.) 



Characters. — Darker above, with outer web of inner primaries 

 and secondaries darker, more olive-green; under surface darker, 

 grayer, less yellowish. 



In a male taken at Puerto Armuelles, Chiriqui, February 8, 1966, 

 the iris was dark brown ; side of maxilla below the nostril and basal 

 half of mandible neutral gray; rest of bill black; tarsus and toes dull 

 greenish gray ; claws dark neutral gray. 



Measurements. — Males (12 from Costa Rica and Panama), wing 

 50.7-53.5 (52.0), tail 23.8-28.1 (26.7), culmen from base 11.0-13.1 

 (12.2), tarsus 12.0-15.4 (13.1) mm. 



Females (6 from Costa Rica and Panama), wing 51.0-53.2 (51.9), 

 tail 26.0-28.8 (27.4), culmen from base 11.6-12.7 (11.9), tarsus 12.2- 

 13.8 (12.9) mm. 



