BIRDS OF THE PANAMA CANAL ZONE 



tures and roadsides or following the footsteps 

 of the cattle, or possibly even perched on the 

 back of a steer. The two common species 

 (Crotophaga ani and Crotophaga sulcirostris) 

 are hard to tell apart and careful observations 

 as to their relative abundance and distribu- 

 tion in the Canal Zone would be a real con- 

 tribution to ornithology. 



Two of the little ground doves (Chcemepelia 

 r. rufipennis and C. minuta elceodes) are 

 abundant and very tame, in fields, gardens 

 and along roadsides, scurrying out of the way 

 rapidly on their little short legs only when 

 approached within a few feet. Of the larger 

 members of the family, Verreaux's Dove. .4. 

 (Leptotila v. verreauxi) is the only one that 

 is at all familiar in its habits. One may often 4 

 be seen flying across the Gamboa road i n front 

 of a car ; its mournful coos may be heard from .. 

 patches of thick brush almost in the towns. 



If the traveler by railroad expects to see 

 the vast flocks of herons and other native 

 birds on Gatun Lake described in the book of 

 a certain enthusiastic writer, he will be disap- ..r 

 pointed. Undoubtedly such birds were much 

 more abundant when the lake was first filled 

 up and more of the old water-killed trees were - 

 still standing, and when the shores were less 

 inhabited by banana growers; but nowadays, 

 one is lucky to see half a dozen herons from 

 the train, and most of these will probably be 

 the Little Blue Heron (Florida ccerula), white 

 when young, or piebald in the intermediate 

 plumage. However, late in the spring, it is 

 still possible to see hundreds of these herons 

 on the mud flats at low tide below Old 



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