68 



BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 4 



1904, and March 7 and October 5, 15, 1905. Two are labeled "Volcan 

 Chiriqui" 9000 ft. October 14, 16, 1904. 



This species has not been reported from Panama since the specimens 

 mentioned above were collected. It may well be endangered. 



In Costa Rica the bird has been collected frequently, but with little 

 information concerning its habits. Carriker (Ann. Carnegie Mus., vol. 

 6, 1919 p. 772) noted that it was "found in only a few places in Costa 

 Rica, but is abundant wherever it occurs. It makes its home in the 

 grassy marshes which are found in the vicinity of La Estrella and 

 Azahar de Cartago at an altitude of about 5000 feet. It has all the 

 habits of the Marsh Wrens of North America." 



The eggs of related races of the species platensis are described as 

 white without markings (Meise, W., in Schonwetter, Handb. Ool., pt. 

 19, 1971, pp. 330-331, plate 4, fig. 8) . 



Slud (Bull. Amer. Museum Nat. Hist., 1964, no. 128, p. 282) de- 

 scribes the call of this race in Costa Rica as a grasshopperlike tzrr and 

 the song as a chyip-chyip-chyip-chyip-chyip, sometimes with a gurgling 

 quality. 



It may well be that the complex of populations included in the species 

 platensis should be divided into two or more species. Some of the 

 South American forms are, by voice at least, very distinct. Tropical 

 populations of this species are often known as the Grass Wren. 



THRYOTHORUS LEUCOTIS Lafresnaye: Buff -breasted Wren, 

 Cucarachero Pechi-Amarillejo 



Thryothorus leucotis Lafresnaye, Rev. Zool., vol. 8, September 1845, p. 338. ("Co- 

 lombia aut Mexico" = Honda, Rio Magdalena, Colombia, designated by Hell- 

 mayr, Cat. Birds Amer., pt. VII, 1934, p. 165.) 



Rather small; upper surface definitely brown, brighter on rump and 

 upper tail coverts; wings and tail russet, heavily barred with black; 

 below ochraceous-buff to tawny-brown, darker on sides and undertail 

 coverts; throat white. Similar in general to Thryothorous modestus but 

 distinguished by heavy, much more distinct black bars on wings, and 

 usually more contrast between white throat and buffy breast. 



Description. — Length 120-135 mm. Adult (sexes alike), crown 

 dull brown changing to a deeper shade on back and scapulars, and be- 

 coming brighter on rump and upper tail coverts; wings, including co- 

 verts, russet brown, barred narrowly but distinctly with black; tail rus- 

 set, barred heavily with black; a white line over eye from base of bill 

 back along side of crown; a dull brown line back of eye; side of head 



