Notes from a Traveler in the Tropics 15 



It must be remembered that the rainy season was just drawing to a close and 

 that birds, as a whole, were not in song. In March or April many additional 

 species w^ould doubtless have armounced their presence, while one who was 

 looking for birds w^ould unquestionably find the gardens and tree-lined drives 

 of Ancon and Balboa Heights profitable hunting-grounds. 



The abundance of vegetation about the attractive homes of these towois offers 

 many tropical birds their first opportunity to establish friendly associations 

 with North American bird-lovers. 



The bird student in the Canal Zone, is not, however, restricted to those 

 parts of the coimtr^^ which have come completely under the dominion of man. 

 From my window in the TivoU I looked out over the green savannas to the 

 forested foot-hills, accessible and promisiag groimds, where one may study 

 tropical bird-life under particularly favorable conditions. A visit to the ruin 

 of old Panama, distant about 9 miles, possesses not alone abundant historic 

 interest, but the vegetation which has sprimg up in the fallen walls of this 

 ancient city, and which surrounds its site, is filled with birds. I passed an hour 

 there on the afternoon of November 10 -nnth Capt. O'Connell, a former Museum 

 associate, and now in the coast artiller\' at Ft. Amador. It was an exquisitely 

 beautiful evening, -R-ith a richly hued sunset, followed b}^ that mar\'elous after- 

 glow w^hich so often marks the close of a tropical day. On the broad mud- 

 flats exposed by the low tide there were numerous shore-birds; Laughing 

 GuUs gleaned at the water's edge, and over the Bay of Panama were long lines 

 of Pelicans, e\'idently headed for their roosting-places. 



As the Sim fell, the birds in the vegetation about us became more active, 

 and, in spite of the season, the air for a short time was vocal T\ath calls and 

 songs. I recognized the voices of many old friends. There was the chatter 

 of Flycatchers (Tyr annus melancholicus and Myiozetetes), the loud, ringing 

 whistle of a large Wren {Thryothorus) , breaking with startling suddermess from 

 a nearby thicket, and stopping as suddenly: there was the mournful whistle of 

 a Cuckoo (Tapera ncBvia) which aroused a himdred associations, the thin 

 twitter of dozens of Blue Tanagers, and the shriU cries of many Paroquets 

 exploring the niins as though house-hunting. There were scores of Seed-eaters 

 and small flocks of Ground Doves (Chaemepelia rufipennis) along the road- 

 side; Hawks, Caracaras, Black Vultures, Swallows, and a single CoUared 

 Swift iStreptoprocne) in the air; Hummers buzzed actively about us, every- 

 where there was movement and a sense of teeming life. 



As we returned to Ancon in the short twilight, the sky w^as filled vnth an 

 amazing number of Nighthawks; they were present by thousands, feeding at 

 first high in the air and coming nearer the groimd as the Hght failed. In strong 

 contrast to their darting, erratic flight was the steady progress of a flock of 

 some fifty large Parrots which passed overhead, bound for their home in the 

 forest. 



