FAMILY FRINGILLIDAE 



547 



the limits properly encompassed by chrysopeplus." Paynter ( Check-list 

 Birds World, vol. 13, 1970, p. 217) on the other hand, includes the 

 South American chrysogaster as well as tibialis in the single species 

 chrysopeplus, and this treatment is followed here. 



This species inhabits forest borders and clearings, and is seldom 

 seen inside forest. It forages at all heights in trees, singly or in groups 

 as large as 4, feeding mainly on berries. I have seen this grosbeak only 

 once, at Cerro Punta, Chiriqui, at the border of a steep slope planted 

 in corn; the single individual sat quietly on a dead branch, looking like 

 an oriole except for the huge beak, but it flew away before I was within 

 range. Ridgely (1976, p. 330) describes the song as rich, leisurely, 

 varied musical phrases interspersed with the phrase tweek tseewee. It 

 also has a metallic call note very similar to that of P. ludovicianus. I 

 have no information on the nesting of this species. 



PHEUCTICUS LUDOVICIANUS (Linnaeus): Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 

 Piquigrueso Pechirrosado 



Loxia ludoviciana Linnaeus, 1766, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 1, p. 306. (Louisiana.) 



Medium size; bill thick; adult male in alternate plumage, throat and 

 upper surface black, with white on rump and on wings and tail; upper 

 breast rosy red; rest of undersurface white; female, upper surface 

 brown, with white stripes on head and white spots on wings; male in 

 first basic plumage like female with rosy wash on throat and breast; 

 male in basic plumage, like first basic plumage, but wings and tail black 

 and white. 



Description. — Length 171-182 mm. Adult male in alternate plum- 

 age, throat, head, and upper back black, feathers initially edged drab 

 brown; lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts white; wings mostly 

 black, with central middle coverts white, tertials and some greater co- 

 verts tipped white, and primaries white on basal third to half; tail black 

 with large white patches on distal half of inner webs of three outermost 

 pairs of rectrices; upper breast and center of lower breast rosy red; 

 rest of undersurface white; thighs black; underwing coverts light rosy 

 red. 



Adult male in basic plumage, wings and tail as in alternate; white 

 superciliary stripe; head and upper back feathers black, heavily edged 

 light brown; throat, upper breast, sides and flanks washed light brown 

 and finely spotted with black; center of upper breast washed light rosy 

 red; rest of undersurface white. 



Male in first basic plumage, superciliary white; central crown stripe 

 buff; sides of head and rest of crown dark brown; rest of upper surface 



