f)04 l^lK'DS FliOM NlCAKAtiTA AND COSTA MICA lilCIIMOND. 



cics of birds Jiisl nuMitioiMMl in utIciMhmcc iii»<tii Ihrsc nuts ;it ^•;l^io1ls 

 tiinos, evidently lor (lie |»iir])(>se of IVM'din^' on (lie ;ints tlieiiiseh cs. 



1 do not think :uiy of the otlier Ant Thrushes met with by me feed 

 on ants, except possibly Mi/rnicl((st<'s, Formicariiis, and (IrtdUaia. 

 The first of these jn-obably is an aiit-eatei', but 1 saw it only on lliree 

 oeeasions and am not al>le to sa> jxtsit ively. 



116. Grallaria dives S,il\. 



One sjXH'inu'u shot in Sej)teud>ei', on the h^seondido. It was walking- 

 about (Ml tlie j^round, and «>n my aitpioacli tiew int(> a low bnsli. I did 

 not hear its note. 



Family TY1{ A \ N iD.i:. 



117. Copuius leiicoiiotus La IV. 



<\)mmon. Has a marktHl preference for dead trees m ])lantations 

 and clearing's, or dead !ind)s oflixin.u' trees, in wliich the nest is nsiially 

 located. The birds are almost invariably found close tt) tlie ca\ ity in 

 wliicli their nest is i)laced, daring the breeding season at any rate, fre- 

 quently leaving their perches to Hy out altera ])assing insect, atter 

 which returning to tlie sauu' spot. 'IMie note is characteristic, shrill 

 iiud i)roh»nged, but rather weak. 



118. Todirostriiin cinereum (I. inn.). 



Altundant. Has a sharp, cxplosiNc note of three or four syllables, 

 giving ojie the im])ression that it is a mnch hirgei' biid than is really 

 the case. My e\i>erience with the bird and its nest agrees a cry well 

 with that of INli-. Cherrie, win* has gi\j'n a description of the nest and 

 eggs in the Auk, All, IS'.K), 1*.">3. .According t(» my obser\ ations, how- 

 ever, tlie bird is not restricted to the banks of streams, although it 

 shows a. ilecided preference for sucii places. .Ml of (he nests found by 

 nie werc^ in ])erfectly exposed situations and resembled bunches of 

 drift glass. My lirst nest of this Mycatcher was fouml pmu'ly by acci- 

 dent. While e\i)loring a busy tract, much freipiented by this si)ecies, 

 my attention wasdraw n to a. small bird with dishe^•eled ])lumage, which 

 was darting at a l^ynnUaxis pud'n-ii^ accompanying its attacks by a hiss- 

 ing not»'. Tiie attitude of the pugnacious litth^ bird was striking, its 

 tail was elevated and fully spread, and at every uioa enicnt of the bird 

 was switched from side to side in an angry way. With such a formid- 

 able api)earaiice and sjiirited attack the intruder was soon driven ott". 

 TIk' \ictor, whii'h proved to be a Toilirostrvvi cinereum, then hopped 

 out toward tiie end of a branch and disai)peared into w hat i had sup- 

 posed to be an a(rcidental tuft of dead grass and leaves. This I found 

 to be its nest, a very compact structure, though ragged in api>earance, 

 with a hidden entrance in the side Just large enough to admit the bird. 



l^ggs two or tliiee, i)ure whiti'. Three eggs, fonml March ."?!, measun^ 

 (>.().") by 0.45, ().«;.") by (M(i. ().<;.') by (1. 1(1. Twoother eggsare (KO.i by (».43, 

 0.71 by O.n. * 



liis pah' yellow, almost white; feet bluish ]dnmbeous. 



