FAMILY TROGLODYTIDAE 



95 



Females (10 from Bocas del Toro, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua), 

 wing 60.0-63.7 (62.2), tail 45.6-50.5 (48.0), oilmen from base 19.0- 

 20.9 (19.8), tarsus 22.9-24.5 (23.6) mm. 



Resident. Fairly common locally in the lowlands of western Bocas 

 del Toro near Almirante Bay; ranging inland to 730 m on the Rio 

 Changuena. 



Near Almirante this handsome wren ranges in tangles of low brush 

 bordered with stands of coarse grasses. Galindo recorded it inland on 

 the lower Rio Changuena, where 1 was taken September 8, 1961. In 

 February and March 1958, they lived locally on the higher ground, 

 beyond the borders of cultivation, inland from the wet coastal swamps. 

 Attention is drawn to them by their clear musical songs. These are a 

 series of modulated notes followed by ringing trills that suggest those 

 of Thryothorus fasciatoventris albigularis. In addition to the song, 

 they have the usual rattling, chattering notes. The birds ranged low, 

 constantly under cover, as is usual in the genus. 



The species, here at the lower end of its range, is found north in 

 Costa Rica and Nicaragua, through the lowlands of the Caribbean slope. 

 The nest and eggs appear to be still unknown. 



Salvin (in Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr. Amer., Aves, vol. 1, 

 1880, p. 91, pi. 6, fig. 4) in his final account of this bird changed the 

 spelling of the species name to atrigularis, citing the original spelling, 

 atrogularis, in his heading. 



THRYOTHORUS SPADIX (Bangs) Sooty-headed Wren, 

 Cucarachero Cabeza Fuliginosa 



Pheitgopedius spadix Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 23, May 4, 1910, 



p. 74. (Naranjito, Rio Dagua, Colombia.) 

 Pheiigopedius spadix xerampelinns Griscom, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 69, no. 



8, April 1929, p. 182. (Cana, Darien.) 



Medium size; throat and side of head black, the latter area streaked 

 with white; chest and back chestnut-brown. 



Description. — Length 140-155 mm. Adult (sexes alike), throat and 

 side of head black; a superciliary line and streaks on the cheeks white; 

 crown and upper hindneck blackish brown; rest of upper surface, in- 

 cluding wings, chestnut-brown; tail black, barred widely with chestnut- 

 brown; upper breast dull chestnut-brown; sides, tibia, and undertail 

 coverts dull brown, the latter barred with black like the tail; lower breast 

 and abdomen dull buff spotted indistinctly with black; undersurface of 

 wings buffy white. 



Immature, head, including cheeks and throat, dull brown. 



