I50 BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 4 



Description. — Length, 151-175 mm. Sexes alike; above dull grayish 

 brown to somewhat tawny brown; center of throat, lower breast, and 

 abdomen white (changing on lower foreneck and upper breast to pale 

 buff), streaked and spotted rather lightly with tawny-brown; sides 

 grayish white. 



Migrant and winter visitor from the north. Fairly common, found 

 from September to early May. 



The Veery, like the Swainson's Thrush, ranges in forest areas; it has 

 been encountered mainly through individuals captured in mist nets. 

 Usually they are taken in company with the much more abundant 

 Swainson's Thrush. Of the 4 geographic races currently recognized 

 on their northern breeding grounds, 3 are represented in collections 

 now at hand from Panama, as indicated under the names that follow. 

 As the remaining group, Catharus fuscescens subpallidus Burleigh 

 and Duvall (Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 72, 1959, p. 33), is mi- 

 grant from its breeding grounds like the others, it seems probable that 

 it will be identified in the Republic as further data accumulate. It is 

 similar in general to C. f. salicicola, differing in duller, more grayish, 

 less rufescent coloration on the dorsal surface. 



Sightings cannot be identified as to subspecies and even in the hand 

 racial identification can be difficult. Most Panama observations are of 

 mist-netted birds on the Caribbean coastal area. G. V. N. Powell and 

 S. G. Martin netted many at Ft. Sherman, Canal Zone, between Sep- 

 tember 28 and October 22, 1966; the numbers caught were highest be- 

 tween October 3 (16) and October 15 (8). None were caught during 

 banding done on Cerro Campana. At Almirante, Bocas del Toro, this 

 species was taken rather infrequently, although in 1963 and 1964 some 

 were taken from the last week in September (earliest Sept. 23, 1963) 

 through the third week in November (1 bird), and none in December, 

 January, or February. In spring, far fewer birds are netted at Al- 

 mirante. 



On the Pacific slope, one was banded by V. Kleen at Nueva Suiza, 

 Chiriqui, on October 12, 1967, and Ridgely observed 1 at Ft. Clayton, 

 Canal Zone, on September 28, 1968. 



CATHARUS FUSCESCENS FUSCESCENS (Stephens) 



Turdus fuscescens Stephens, in Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. X, pt. 1, September 1817, 

 p. 182. (Pennsylvania.) 



Characters. — Brighter, more reddish brown, on the entire dorsal 

 surface from crown to rump. 



