FAMILY MIMIDAE 



127 



that I have found especially interesting in view of the arguments as to 

 why our northern bird with the prominent white patch on the wing has 

 this habit. It is evident that the display is in the wing action, with no 

 basis in color pattern. 



DUMETELLA CAROLINENSIS (Linnaeus): Gray Catbird, Pajaro Gato 



Muscicapa carolinensis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 7, 1766, p. 328. (Virginia.) 



Medium size, slender, with long tail; dark gray. 



Description. — Length 185-215 mm. Adult (sexes alike), crown, 

 wings, and tail black; wings, and to a lesser degree, tail, margined with 

 gray; body slate gray, darker above, paler below; undertail coverts 

 chestnut. 



Bill black; tarsus and toes blackish brown; iris dark brown. 



Measurements. — Males (10 from the breeding range), wing 86.0- 

 96.0 (91.2), tail 89.0-103.0 (95.9), oilmen from base 20.0-20.2 (20.1), 

 tarsus 27.0-29.0 (27.9) mm. 



Females (10 from the breeding range), wing 84.0-91.0 (88.1), tail 

 82.0-97.0 (91.7), oilmen from base 19.2-20.4 (19.8), tarsus 27.0-28.5 

 (27.9) mm. 



Migrant from temperate North America; common in Bocas del Toro, 

 September 1-March 31 (May 29, once), (Almirante, Changuinola, 

 Cocoplum) . Occurs casually and irregularly elsewhere in western Pan- 

 ama, in Chiriqui ( Boquete) , and Veraguas ( Paracote) ; winters in very 

 small numbers and irregularly to the Canal Zone chiefly on the Carib- 

 bean slope (Curundu, Corozal, Coco Solo, Barro Colorado Island, Juan 

 Mina, Frijoles, Ft. Davis, Gamboa Pipeline Road, Gatun, Lion Hill) ; 

 casual in San Bias (Mandinga, Armila, Puerto Obaldia); recorded on 

 Islas Escudo de Veraguas and Bastimentos, and on Taboga Island in 

 the Gulf of Panama (Sturgis). On the Pacific slope the farthest east 

 appears to be one seen by Ridgely at Cerro Azul on March 11, 1979. 



The catbird is common in thickets and low forest around Bahia Almi- 

 rante, ranging usually under cover, calling only occasionally. Though 

 not especially timid, they usually remain under leafy cover so that rela- 

 tively few are seen. Rarely, one may sing. Their true number becomes 

 evident when mist nets are set, as many are captured. 



Dr. Pedro Galindo, who has netted catbirds regularly in his studies 

 at Almirante, has furnished the following interesting information. One 

 that he banded October 18, 1963, was reported from Oxford, Nova 

 Scotia, in July 1964; and another, caught December 19, 1963, was 



