560 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 2 



Characters. — Very dark; decidedly brown on the lower surface, 

 side of the head, and forehead ; outer rectrices less heavily barred with 

 white; white barring on upper surface narrower, so that the back 

 and wings appear blacker; red of crown darker in male, and red of 

 nuchal stripe darker in the female. 



Measurements. — Males (12 from Isla Coiba), wing 101.8-108.5 

 (105.4), tail 487-55.9 (52.3), culmen from base 23.1-27.3 (25.2), 

 tarsus 17.8-20.6 (19.0) mm. 



Females (5 from Isla Coiba), wing 99.3-101.8 (100.4), tail 48.5- 

 50.5(49.4), culmen from base 22.0-23.4 (22.9), tarsus 17.5-18.2 

 (17.7) mm. 



Resident. Common on Isla Coiba and Isla Rancheria. Found also 

 on Isla Gobernadora and Isla Cebaco, at the entrance of Golfo de 

 Montijo, but in intermediate stage toward Centurns r. wagleri of the 

 mainland. 



Among the woodpeckers of this group found in Panama those of 

 Isla Coiba stand out clearly in their much darker colors. It is inter- 

 esting that a pair from Isla Gobernadora, and 2 males and 3 females 

 from Isla Cebaco, are clearly intermediate in color and size between 

 typical subfusculus and Centurus r. wagleri of the Panamanian main- 

 land. They are clearly darker on the lower surface than wagleri, but 

 agree in appearance with the mainland form in the extent of white on 

 the back, and in the shade of red on the head. In coloration, at first 

 glance, they suggest seductus of the Archipielego de las Perlas, but on 

 close examination they are browner though less so than the Coiba 

 birds. Their size is intermediate, as shown by the average wing length 

 of 108.7 mm. in the 3 males, and of 107.8 mm. in the 4 females. The 

 two islands, near the mainland, are between 40 and 50 kilometers from 

 Coiba. 



These interesting woodpeckers are common on Isla Coiba, as 

 wagleri is across the Pacific lowlands of the mainland. Daily during 

 my stay in January and early February I recorded them in solitary 

 trees left standing in clearings, and also in the heavy forest where 

 they ranged in the open branches in the high tree crown, above the 

 darker, shadowy depths below. Occasionally one came down above 

 the undergrowth to chatter at me, or to look for some item of food. 

 Near our quarters at the Colonia Central their calls and drumming 

 came constantly to our ears. The darker color of this distinct race 

 is seen instantlv with a bird in the hand. 



