iSgi.] CHERRIR, Li<~t of Birds of San yosi\ Costa Rica. 2^3 



They feed I believe entirely on the ground, scratching among the dead 

 leaves for beetles, grubs, etc. 



Nesting commences the latter part of April and lasts until the latter 

 part of July, and even as late as August 20 I noted one feeding a young 

 Cowbird {Calot/iriis robustus), — the Cowbird apparently full grown 

 and considerably larger than its foster mother. 



I have onlv had opportunity to examine two nests and sets of eggs, al- 

 though from the fact that I have secured many young birds just from the 

 nest I am sure they breed quite abundantly. Both sets of eggs were taken 

 April 28, iSSg. The first (No. 553, Geo. K. Cherrie Collection) was placed 

 about six feet from the ground, in a coftee tree that stood some iS feet 

 from the river bank. It was constructed of green moss, evidently taken 

 from some very damp place, a few large twigs, decaying half rotten leaves 

 from the river bottom, and a little soft dry grass. It was lined with root- 

 lets. The nest although not well concealed by leaves was not readily 

 noticeable owing to the green moss used in the construction. 



The nest contained two eggs, but one was unfortunatelv broken. The 

 remaining egg is slightly glossy, pea green in color, speckled all over, 

 vei-y densely at the larger end, with cinnamon. It measured .92 X .67. 



The second nest (No. 544, Geo. K. Cherrie Collection) was situated in 

 low bushes on the river bank, about three feet from the ground, admira- 

 bly hidden by leaves. It is hardly as large as No. 553 ; there are fewer 

 rotten leaves, less green moss, and more soft dry grass used in the con- 

 struction. It has the same sort of lining of rootlets. 



The eggs, two in number, are ovate in form, ground color pea-green, 

 thickly speckled with spots varying from pale cinnamon to Prout's brown. 

 The eggs measure .92 X .68, and .92 X .68. 



The female while sitting on the eggs will allow no one to approach very 

 near before leaving the nest, finally slipping off into the brush and out of 

 sight without uttering a note. 



In the 'Biologia Centrali-Americana' the eggs are stated to be "white 

 thickly marked with rufous red," — decidedly different from the eggs I have 

 taken. 



Below I will give a description of two young birds brought to the Mus- 

 eum, July 30, 1S90, birds evidently just about ready to leave the nest. I 

 endeavored to keep the birds alive but they died the next morning. They 

 may be described as follows : Above dusky dark brown, dai'kest on the 

 head, where there are no markings, and lightest on the rump where there is 

 a decided cinnamon shading; feathers of back and scapulars with apical, 

 tawny olive shaft streaks; middle and lesser wing-coverts marked the 

 same way, but terminal spots larger; primaries dusky faintly edged with 

 raw umber. Greater coverts and secondaries broadly margined on outer 

 webs with a light mars-brown. Below, throat and upper breast spotted, 

 the tips of the feathers all being dusky, then crossed by a broad huffy 

 whitish band, the bases of all the feathers dusky; sides similar but darker; 

 belly soiled buffy whitish; under-tail coverts ochraceous (at this age 

 4 



