Carriker : List of the Birds of Costa Rica. 725 



Juan Vinas). — Bangs, Auk, XXIV, 1907, 300 (Boruca, Paso Real, and El 

 Pozo de Terraba [Underwood]). 

 Rhynchocyclus sulphurescens Lawrence, Ann. Lye. N. Y., IX, 1868, 112 and 

 146 (Angostura [Carmiol]). — Frantzius, Jour, fiir Orn., 1869, 307 (Costa 

 Rica). — Boucard, P. Z. S., 1878, 63 (San Carlos). 



U. S. Nat. Museum: Guayabo (Ridgway and Zeledon), Santo Domingo 



de San Mateo (Alfaro). 

 Bangs Collection: Pozo Azul de Pirris, Juan Vinas, Carrillo, Bolson, 



Tenorio, Coralillo, El General de Terraba (Underwood). 

 C. H. Lankester Collection: Cachi. 

 Carnegie Museum: Guapiles (Carriker & Crawford); Guapiles, Bebe- 



dero, Miravalles, Bagaces, El Hogar, Juan Vinas, San Mateo, Esparta, 



El Pozo de Terraba, Boruca, Buenos Aires (Carriker). Twenty-one 



skins. 



This species ranges over the whole of the Caribbean and Pacific lowlands 

 up to at least 3,000 feet on the eastern slope and 2,000 feet on the western 

 side. It is never very abundant in individuals in any locality, except 

 perhaps in some parts of the Pacific lowlands. I found it common about 

 Esparta and breeding in the first week in June. A great many of the 

 specimens taken (about one-third) have an abnormally shaped bill, which 

 is much compressed laterally, with a very distinct maxillary and man- 

 dibular ridge, especially noticeable on the mandible. There are found, 

 however, all gradations between the normal flat and broad bill to the 

 narrowly pointed and ridged bill, but I have not been able to discover 

 their cause. 



Many nests of this species were noticed about Esparta, also at El Pozo 

 de Terraba and Pozo Azul de Pirris. It is invariably the same in shape 

 and material, being made entirely of a peculiar black, hair-like fibre, but 

 from what source it comes I am not able to determine, although it much 

 resembles the fibres found in the stalks of many of the ferns. It is a 

 pouch-shaped, pendant structure, invariably suspended from the drooping 

 tip of a limb, and is about twelve to fourteen inches in length and five 

 inches in diameter at the bottom. The opening is at the bottom, pro- 

 tected by an extension of the side, like an awning, and extending upward 

 over the rim of the cavity of the nest, which is also lined with the same 

 black fibrous material. The eggs are creamy-white, with a slightly rufous 

 tinge, speckled, chiefly about the larger end, with cinnamon-rufous, and 

 with a suffusion of the same color about the larger end. Two eggs are 

 invariably laid. Measurements: 21 X 14 and 20.5X14 mm. 



