444 



BIRDS OF THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA PART 4 



in the heavy forests. The birds were found frequently in small parties 

 of half a dozen or more, with a predominance of those in immature 

 plumage. They frequently uttered a low chewp chewp. At the end of 

 February 1944 they were mating. A male in immature dress taken 

 February 12 had the testes half developed. 



RAMPHOCELUS DIMIDIATUS ARESTUS Wetmore 



Ramphocelus dimidiatus arestus Wetmore, 1957, Smiths. Misc. Coll., 134 (9), p. 

 97. (Isla Coiba, Panama.) 



Characters. — Darkest of the races of R. dimidiatus; male similar to 

 R. d. limatus in having the black of the belly reduced, but deeper red 

 throughout, especially on the abdomen; female decidedly darker. 



Measurements. — Males (8 from Isla Coiba, including the type), 

 wing 74.3-78.9 (77.3), tail 65.5-70.0 (67.9), culmen from base 16.6- 

 19.6 (17.4), tarsus 19.3-21.3 (20.6) mm. 



Females (7 from Isla Coiba), wing 73.3-75.2 (74.3), tail 65.5-69.7 

 (67.5), culmen from base 17.6-18.5 (18.2), tarsus 20.2-21.8 (21.0) 

 mm. 



Resident. Common on Isla Coiba, off the Pacific coast of Veraguas. 

 This tanager comes frequently into the trees and shrubbery around the 

 habitations, but is more usually seen in the lower woodlands back of 

 the beaches and near the river mouths. On my visit to Isla Coiba in 

 1956, I was interested to find them equally common in the high crown 

 of the tall virgin forest inland. In 1976, Ridgely {in litt.) found them 

 much more frequently in undergrowth. They may come out in the 

 open to feed, but at any alarm retreat to cover behind leaves and creep- 

 ers; at the same time they have considerable curiosity and are easily 

 called by squeaking. 



RAMPHOCELUS PASSERINII Bonaparte: Scarlet-rumped Tanager, 

 Sangretoro Negro 



Medium size; male entirely black except for lower back through up- 

 per tail coverts, which are bright red; female, head, wings, and tail 

 drab dark brown; rest of body mostly yellow-ocher with orange band 

 across breast. 



Description. — Length 160-165 mm. Adult male entirely velvety 

 black, except for lower back through upper tail coverts, which are 

 bright red (scarlet in nominate passerinii, slightly more orange in 

 c o stark ensis) . 



Adult female, head gray-brown; upper back orange-brown; rest of 



