NO. Q BIRDS OF ISLA COIBA, PANAMA—WETMORE 51 
nearer approach in color is found in Centurus rubricapillus seductus 
of Isla El Rey in the Perlas Islands of the Gulf of Panama, which 
differs also from the typical form rubricapillus in generally darker 
color above and below, in heavier bill, and in paler red on the crown 
of the male. The bird of Coiba Island, C. r. subfusculus is separated 
from seductus as it is from rubricapillus by still darker coloration, the 
under surface especially being decidedly darker. In addition the 
crown in the male subfusculus is much darker red. It is interesting 
to observe that there is a general resemblance in the two island forms, 
which suggests that darker color may be a more primitive stage which 
has been preserved in the limited confines of offshore islands while 
modification has come in the extensive mainland range. 
The Romans recognized a brunette as “mulier subfuscula.” It 
seems appropriate to use their adjective as the name for the present 
form, the darkest race of the species. 
Study of the bird from Coiba Island has led to an examination of 
the series of the species that is now available from the entire range. 
It may be observed in the beginning that the writer believes it useful 
to treat the Centurus group of species as a separate genus, rather 
than to merge it with the allied Melanerpes, as Peters and some others 
have done. Aside from the pattern conformation found in the regu- 
larly barred back, the feathers of the throat are soft and blended, not 
hairlike as in typical Melanerpes. 
As another matter, the races of Centurus rubriventris Swainson 
appear specifically distinct from rubricapillus in the much narrower 
barring of the back, and in the proportionately much longer tail. It 
may be observed in this connection that Picus flavifrons Vieillot ap- 
pears to belong with true Melanerpes, so that this genus thus includes 
Picus rubriventris Vieillot (1818) for the race Melanerpes flavifrons 
rubriventris. With Centurus recognized as a distinct genus the spe- 
cific name rubriventris of Swainson (1838) remains available for the 
Mexican species, and the name rubricomus Peters (1948), necessary 
if Centurus is united with Melanerpes, is not required.* 
The following summary outline covers the races of Centurus rubri- 
capillus. 
Centurus rubricapillus rubricapillus Cabanis: 
Centurus rubricapillus CABANIS, Journ. fiir Orn., vol. 10, 1862, p. 238. (Bar- 
ranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia. ) 
Centurus terricolor BERLEPSCH, Ibis, 1880, p. 113. (Orinoco district, or Trini- 
dad.) 
14 See Peters, Check-list of the Birds of the World, vol. 6, 1948, p. 164. 
