SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 

VOLUME 139, NUMBER 2 

I 

THE BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO 

DE VERAGUAS, PANAMA 

(WITH ONE PLATE) 

Bv 

ALEXANDER WETMORE 

Research Associate 

Smithsonian Institution 

(PUBLICATION 4378) 

CITY OF WASHINGTON 

PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

JULY 8, 1959 

SMITHSO IAN MISCELLA EOUS COLLECTIO S 

VOLUME 139, NUMBER 2 

THE BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO 

DE VERAGUAS, PANAMA 

(WITH ONE PLATE) 

BY 

ALEXANDER WETMORE 

Research Associate 

Smithsonian Institution 

( PUBLICATION 4378) 

CITY OF WASHINGTON 

PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

JULY 8, 1959 
THE LORD BALTIMORE PRESS, INC. 

BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A. 
THE BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUpO DE VERAGUAS, 

PANAMA 

BY ALEXANDER WETMORE 

Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution 

(WITH ONE PLATE) 

Isla Escudo de Veraguas lies in the southern Caribbean Sea at 

lat. 9°06' N., long. 81 ° 34' W., distant a little more than 18 kilometers 

from Coco Plum Point on the base of the Valiente Peninsula, Province of Bocas del Toro. The island is roughly rectangular, with a 

projecting point at the southeast and a somewhat irregular shoreline 

on the western and northern sides. It is a little over 4 kilometers 

long by less than 1 1⁄2 wide, with the long axis running east and west. 

A sand beach extends along three-fourths of the southern side, around 

the flat, open southeastern point, and across the eastern side, past 

the mouth of a small stream, to end against a cliff, 12 meters high, 

of sandy, indurated clay. Similar bluffs separated by short stretches 

of beach mark the shoreline along the west and north. The northern 

side is broken by a small bay with a sand beach at its head. On the 

west the sea has cut back into the land, leaving several small islets, 

some of them barren except for grass and other low herbage, and 

some with a crown of brush and trees. Wave action is steadily eroding the low cliffs, forming small caves, and in some cases arches that 

pass through projecting points to the sea on the opposite side. The 

shallow bank surrounding the island indicates that this process has 

served to reduce it in size. The land back of the southern beach, 

elevated sufficiently above high-tide line to form a flat, is fringed 

with coconut palms on the sea side. Behind these extends low jungle 

in which scatt~red trees rise 15 to 20 meters tall. Toward the center 

the surface is lower and is swampy, with two or three trickles of fresh 

water, discolored by swamp peat, that drain to the sea. There is a 

small stand of mangroves at the mouth of the stream that enters the 

sea above the southeastern point. 

Columbus during his fourth voyage sighted the island on October 17, 1502, when he came out of the Laguna de Chiriqui through 

Canal del Tigre (Tiger Channel) ( Morison, 1942, vol. 2, p. 350). 

He gave it the name El Escudo as it appeared to resemble an escudo, 

SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS, VOL. 139, NO. 2 

I 
2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

or shield. In the foIIowing years the island became a landmark for 

na igators along this stretch of coast, and is mentioned from time to 

time in ancient documents, the name being abbreviated of ten to Scudo, 

Scuda, or sometimes modified to Skoday (Anderson, 1911, p. 371). 

Presently it was designated Escudo de Veragua, and finally the latter 

part of the name became Veraguas. In the last voyage of Sir Francis 

Drake ( Hakluyt, 1904, pp. 239-240) it is related that his ships came 

to Escudo on January 10, 1596, where they anchored on the southern 

side, remaining until January 23. The island was described as "not 

past two leagues long full of wood, and hath great store of fresh 

water ... and that very good." Many of the men soon fell sick, 

and Drake himself contracted the illness that caused his death on 

January 28 when they were near Portobello. He was buried at sea 

off that harbor. 

In occasional seventeenth-century accounts of buccaneers and other 

voyagers there is casual reference to Escudo de Veraguas as a place 

of shelter or a source of water. Dampier's observation (Dampier, 

1697, p. 39) made in 1681 that "We past by Scuda, a small 

Island ( where 'tis said Sir Francis Drake's Bowels were bury' d)" 

repeats a tale, apparently of common belief, that cannot concern this 

island since Drake's death and burial, off Portobello, came more than 

200 kilometers to the east. Escudo was visited by Indians, since 

Dr. Matthew W. Stirling of the Smithsonian Institution informs me 

that in the town of Bocas del Toro he was shown artifacts found on 

the island, proof that aboriginal people had lived there, at least from 

time to time. But there may be confusion with some larger place in 

the report ( Anderson, p. 272) that records a considerable Indian 

population, divided under two caciques or chiefs. The land area, with 

due allowance for a reasonable amount of erosion since these early 

times, is too smaII to have permitted permanent residence for many 

persons. 

At present men come at intervals to gather the coconuts, or occasionally to fish, search for turtles, or to hunt the introduced wild pigs. 

There is no permanent human resident, and the ildli f e e .. -cept for 

the pigs, is tame. 

I was able to vi it Escudo de eraguas through the kind assi tance 

of George Munch, manager of the Almirante Di i ion of the hiriqui 

Land Co., hich has its headquarter at lmirant , Pro inc of Bocas 

d 1 Tor . We le£ t lmirante on F bruary 2 195 h rtl be for 

midnight, n the di el laun h Talamanca, nt r d the a through 

the pa of ca d I Tor and b for da n an h r in th 1 on 

th uth a t rn nd f th i I nd. ccompani d b Zi ka Iartmann 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 3 

and Jorge Burke, I was ashore near the southeastern point shortly 

after 7 o'clock and during the forenoon worked through the southern, 

level section parallel to the beach nearly to the western end. As the 

sun rose higher the humidity and heat of the dense jungle, where no 

breeze could enter, became oppressive, so that it was pleasant at the 

end to walk back to our cayuco along the open beach. 

At dawn the following morning the breeze blew from the mainland 

to the south, so that waves were breaking on the beach. We went off 

before 7 :oo in a choppy sea, and finally landed near the mouth of the 

small stream. I crossed first into the ridge area at the northeast, but 

finding this difficult travel and unproductive I sought more level 

ground. Through this I crossed again toward the western end parallel 

to the northern shore. The sky was overcast, one shower of rain came, 

and at times it was difficult to see birds in the heavy jungle shadows. 

Though there were no trails, the low jungle was open and easy to 

penetrate. Where the growth became dense the ground was covered 

heavily with vines. On the north and west the surface rose IO to 25 

meters in broken, steep-sided ridges, separated by little valleys. Here 

there was much undergrowth of the spiny pita ( a plant of the pineapple family) which, with the steep, slippery slopes, and the swampy 

floors of the small valleys between, made it difficult to get about. The 

taller trees that grow along the crests of these ridges from the sea 

give a misleading appearance of true high forest. 

On this final day we returned to the launch a little after I I :oo and, 

as the sea was rising, left for Almirante, returning through Crawl Cay 

Channel. 

The only record of any earlier visit of a naturalist to the island is 

the skin of a white-crowned pigeon in the collections of the University 

of California at Los Angeles. From the end of February to early in 

April 1936, Dr. Loye Holmes Miller of the Department of Zoology 

of that Institution, on sabbatical leave, accompanied by a graduate 

student, Frank Richardson, as assistant, visited the Laguna de Chiriqui, living on a barge that served as a base for a Navy Hydrographic 

Office detail engaged in a survey of the area. Dr. Miller informs me 

that on :March 2 Richardson accompanied a shore party of Navy personnel to Escudo and brought back a white-crowned pigeon. No other 

specimens were taken. 

While Escudo de V eraguas lies well offshore, it is located on a bank 

where the sea is shallow. A narrow trench of 24 to 35 fathoms lies 

to the west and southwest, but elsewhere the depths are considerably 

less. Since it is estimated that sea levels dropped from 90 to I 20 

meters during the last period of extensive glaciation in Wisconsin 
4 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

time during the Pleistocene, it is apparent that then the island was 

part of the mainland. A similar connection should have come during 

part or all of the three preceding periods of maximum glacial ice. 

Return of warmer temperatures in the interglacial periods, which 

melted the ice, again raised the water level, placing Escudo once more 

as an island, remote at sea. It is reasonable to suppose that the resident wren and the manakin, as well as the peculiar spiny rat of the 

island, were established there during one of the periods of land connection, since they are jungle creatures that do not range far from 

cover, nor are the birds of kinds that would be readily windblown 

by violent storms. Whether the characters of size and color that now 

mark them were theirs in whole or in part on their arrival, or whether 

these are distinctions that have developed during isolation, cannot 

be said, except that it seems probable that the peculiarity of greater 

size may have become intensified, since this condition is found regularly in populations that seem to have been restricted for long periods 

to small islands. The manner of development of the differences that 

mark the blue-gray tanager is not easily understood since in mainland 

regions these birds appear to roam far. It would appear that they may 

not cross fairly wide water barriers, since another insular form is 

found on Isla Coiba off the Pacific coast of Panama (Wetmore, 1957, 

p. 94.). 

Though there were few species of resident birds on Escudo de 

Veraguas, individuals were fairly numerous. The songs of the bay 

wren, joined occasionally by the raucous notes of a small flock of 

parrots, were regular bird notes of the jungle, aside from which there 

were only the subdued sounds of the wind in the higher treetops, and 

of the wash of waves against the shoreline. The smaller birds were 

encountered mainly in the more level areas, where at times they were 

detected with difficulty in the dim shadows that prevailed in the 

thickets when the sky was overcast. Occasionally I noted large spiny 

rats of the genus H oplomys. One that I shot on the ground proves 

to be a form new to science. 

ANNOTATED LIST 

Family P ELECANIDAE: licans 

PELECANUS OCCIDENT ALIS Linnaeus: Brown Pelican, Alcatraz 

Pelecanus occidentalis Linna us, Systema natura , d. 12, v 1. 1, 1766, p. 215. 

(Jamaica.) 

cv ral were fishing around th i land on the morning of March 2. 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETM0RE 5 

Family SuLIDAE: Boobies 

SULA LEUCOGASTER LEUCOGASTER (Boddaert): Brown Booby, Piquero 

Moreno 

Pelecanus Leucogaster Boddaert, Table des planches enluminees, 1783, p. 57. 

(Cayenne.) 

Scattered groups rested on small islets off the western end of the 

island, selecting those that were rocky or covered with short herbage. 

They were nesting here, as I noted several large down-covered young. 

At sunset adults came in from the open sea, flying low above the water, 

singly or in groups of three or four. As our launch passed, a number, 

part of them fully grown young, came flying out from the islets to 

circle about with evident curiosity. There were no frigate-birds here, 

and so the boobies were free from molestation. I estimated that about 

200 individuals were present. 

Family CHARADRIIDAE: Plovers, Turnstones 

CHARADRIUS SEMIPALMATUS Bonaparte: Semipalmated Plover, Chorlito 

Semipalmado 

Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, J ourn. A cad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 5, 

August 1825, p. 98. (Coast of New Jersey.) 

A flock of 14 ranged the beach at the southeastern end of the island. 

Family ScoLOPACIDAE: Snipe, Woodcock, Sandpipers 

ACTITIS MACULARIA (Linnaeus): Spotted Sandpiper, Playerito Coleador 

Tringa macularia Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 249. (Pennsylvania.) 

One seen on March I. 

NUMENIUS PHAEOPUS HUDSONICUS Latham: Whimbrel, Zarapito 

Trinador 

Numenius hudsonicus Latham, Index ornithologicus, vol. 2, 1790, p. 712. (Hudson Bay.) 

One seen on the beach March r. 

Family CoLUMBIDAE: Pigeons, Doves 

COLUMBA LEUCOCEPHALA: White-crowned Pigeon, Paloma Cabeciblanca 

Columba leucocephala Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. ro, vol. 1, 1758, p. 164. 

( Bahama Islands.) 

Two were seen March I in the top of a thickly leaved tree. male 

in the collection of the University of California at Los Angeles was 

shot on March 3, 1936, by Frank Richardson, now of the Department 
6 ITH~O--IA_ - ::UI CELLA_ -EOG COLLECTIQ_ -s OL. 139 

of Zoology of the "CniYer ity of ... .,. evada at the time tudent a i tant 

\ -ith Dr. Lo -e Holme _ Iiller ( ee p. 3). 

Famil - p~ITT~ CIDAE: Parrot 1Iaca\YS 

AMAZO A AUTU ALIS SALV1NI (Salvadori): Red-fronted Parrot, Loro 

Frentirrojo 

Cl.rJso ·s s I ·11 • ah-adori, Ca alo£Ue of the bird in the Briti h ~fuseum vol. 

20 1 91 p. 27 r. ( Lion Hill tation, Canal Zone, Panama.) 

Three pair , ·ere een in the early morning of ~larch I and a 

female ,Ya collected. The ame mall group \Ya ob en-ed the followino- day. 

Famil - TROCBILJD_-\E: Hummingbird 

AMAZILIA TZACATL TZAC TL (De la Llave): Rieffer's Hummingbird, 

Calibri Colimorena 

Troe 1 ·1 <s T=aeatl, De la Llaye RegHro Trime tre ml. 2 _ -ro. - 1 33 p. 48. 

(_fexico.) 

eYeral \Yere ob en-ed among the lmyer hrubs back of the beache 

Famil r LCEDIXIDAE: I\..lngfi her 

TEGACERYLE TORQUATA TORQUATA (Linnaeus): Ringed Kingfisher, 

Martin Pescador Grande 

Ale o torquata Linnaeu 

(_ Iexico.) 

- tema naturae, ed. 12 vol. 1, 1766 p. r8o. 

One \Ya recorded on ... Iarc 1 near the mouth of the mall tream 

at he o thea tern end. 

Fa mil - PIP RID- E : ... Ianakin 

MA ... ACUS ITELLINUS (Gould): Gould's Manakin Matraco 

Pi ra ,:it /l'r Goud. in Hind R. B. (editor) Zoo o~y of the ,-oyage of 

H .... 1. . Sulphur under the command of Captain ir Edward Belcher R. ... , 

F.R.G. . e c. durino- e year 1 36-42 yol. 1 pt. 3 (Bird pt. r) October 

1 3 p .. p pl. 21. (Panama== Panama Ci ~- Panama.) 

m a un 

maller tr e 

of ten rem i 1i 

that t no m 1 

lar r 1ze h ul mak 

efini 1 - im re n- . 

Th 1r f • cu o 

"·a fairl .. - common r nkino- ne)..i: to the ,vren 

foun amono- the bran he of the 

quiet mO\-· no- about rather 

Y ral minut at time. I r 

lay the mal 

lowhha a nv th a tiviti 

wa 0 iff r nt from th r pre-
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 7 

sentative of this species around lmirante Bay that I recognized it as 

an unknown race when the first specimen came to hand. It is described 

in the following paragraphs : 

MANACUS VITELLINUS AMITINUS, subsp. nov. 

Characters.-Similar to Manacus vitellinus cerritus Peters 1 but 

definitely larger; bill distinctly larger and heavier; tarsi and toes 

FrG. r.-Gould's manakin, Matraco. 

heavier; adult male with lower back, rump, and posterior ventral surface, including the sides and under wing coverts, darker green; female 

and immature male somewhat darker green throughout, with the 

abdomen less yellowish. 

Description.-Type, U.S. .M. o. 468919, male adult, from I la 

Escudo de eraguas, Prov. Bocas del Toro, Panama, 1arch 2, 1958, 

collected by Alexander Wetmore ( orig. o. 22241). Entire crown 

1 Manacus cerritus Peters, Proc. Jew Eno-land Zool. Club, vol. 10, September 

22, 1927, p. 9. (Almirante, Bocas del Toro, Panama.) 
8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

to nape, including the lores, wings ( except inner lesser coverts), upper 

back, and tail black; sides of head, throat and neck, including hindneck, bright apricot yellow, becoming lemon chrome as the yellow 

collar meets the black of the back; lesser wing coverts, except the 

outermost, lemon chrome; lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts 

yellowish oil green; breast, sides, flanks, abdomen, and under tail 

coverts between warbler green and olive-green ; an indefinite light 

wash of lemon yellow on center of breast and abdomen; outer under 

wing coverts Roman green, inner ones yellowish citrine; under surface of inner webs of primaries and secondaries, except toward the 

tips, dull white. Bill dull black; tarsus and toes fuscous; claws dark 

neutral gray ( from dried skin). 

M easurements.-Males (3 specimens), wing 59.3-61.4 ( 6o.6), tail 

39.2-42.0 (40.2), culmen from base r4.o-r4.8 (r4.5), tarsus 23.8-24.5 

(24.r) mm. 

Females (2 specimens), wing 59.5-6o.o (59.7), tail 38.2-38.3 (38.3), 

culmen from base 14.7-14.7 (14.7), tarsus 21.0-21.5 (21.2) mm. 

Type, male, wing 59.3, tail 39.4, culmen from base 14.6, tarsus 

23.8 mm. 

Range.-Isia Escudo de Veraguas, at sea off the base of Peninsula 

Valiente, Bocas del Toro, Panama. 

Remarks.-The greater size of this handsome bird as compared 

with mainland forms is evident on comparing the measurements with 

those listed in succeeding paragraphs. In bulk the island birds appear 

nearly one-third greater. In drawing the description comparison has 

been made with cerritus since the shades of yellow on head and neck 

of these two are more nearly in agreement. In terms of present distribution M anacus v. vitellinus is assumed to be the form of the mainland opposite Isla Escudo, since it is the one recorded at Cricamola 

on the shores of Laguna de Chiriqui, opposite Penin ula aliente. 

M anacus v. cerritus is known to range south only to the southern 

shores of Almirante Bay so that if the water barrier is di regarded, 

cerritus and amitinus are separated by an inter ening population of 

typical vitellinus. 

The name is taken from the Latin a11iitinus, a cou in. 

To determine clearly the affinities of the manakin from Escudo a 

survey has been made of the related members of the genu M anacus 

found in Panama, particul rly M anacus vitellinus, of hi h an exc Ilent seri is at ban from the ntire rano-e includino- olombia. It 

became vident immediat ly that cerritus, d scribed by James L. ter 

a. a distinct p i s, a in fact a ographic ra of 1. vit llinus, 

as th upposcd cific chara t r br ak d°' n , h n th ntire ar a 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 9 

occupied by this bird is given review. It may be noted also that the 

display of males of cerritus, as I saw it in January and February 1958, 

was similar to that of typical vitellinus. 

Following is a summary of the subspecies of vitellinus based on this 

examination, with the races arranged in geographic sequence from 

west to east. 

MANACUS VITELLINUS CERRITUS Peters 

M anacus cerritus J. L. Peters, Proc. New England Zool. Club, vol. 10, September 22, 1927, p. 9. (Almirante, Bocas del Toro, Panama.) 

Characters.-Similar in color pattern, and in colors in general, to 

M anacus v. vitellinus. Male, with throat, sides of head, and band 

across hind neck and upper back more yellow, less orange, varying 

in some to completely bright yellow ; lower breast, abdomen, sides, 

flanks, and under tail coverts more greenish yellow; rump and upper 

tail coverts brighter green; female, and male in immature plumage, 

darker green throughout. 

Measurements.-Maies (9 specimens), wing 51.8-54.2 (53.3), tail 

31.2-35.8 (34.2), culmen from base 11.1-12.3 (11.7), tarsus 20.0-22.6 

(21.5) mm. 

Females (3 specimens), wing 54.0-55.7 (54.9), tail 33.1-34.4 

(33.9), culmen from base 11.8-12.5 ( 12.0), tarsus 20.2-21.4 (20.9) 

mm. 

MANACUS VITELLINUS AMITINUS Wetmore 

Characters.-Generally similar to M. v. cerritus, but decidedly 

larger; darker green. 

Range.-Isia Escudo de Veraguas, Province of Bocas del Toro, 

Panama. 

Full details of differences, and of measurements, are given in the 

description above. 

MANACUS VITELLINUS VITELLINUS (Gould) 

Pi,i)ra vitellina Gould, in Hinds, R. B. (editor), Zoology of the Voyage of 

H.M.S. Sulphur, under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, R.N., 

F.R.G.S., etc., during the years 1836-42, vol. 1, pt. 3 (Birds, pt. I), October 

1843, p. 41, pl. 21. ("Panama"== Panama City, Panama.) 

Characters.-Similar to M. v. cerritus, but male decidedly orange 

on foreneck, throat, sides of head, and band across base of neck; 

posterior under surface more greenish; rump and upper tail coverts 

grayer green. 

M easurements.-Males (47 specimens), wing 50-4-55.7 (52.3), tail 
IO SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

25.8-31.5 (28.3), culmen from base 11.0-13.0 (n.8), tarsus 20-4-

22.4 (21.4) mm. 

Females (46 specimens), wing 50.7-54.9 (53.2), tail 27.3-31.7 

( 29.3), culmen from base I 1.1-12.7 ( 12.0), tarsus 18.3-20.7 ( 19-4) 

mm. 

Range.-On the Pacific slope from the foothills of eastern Veraguas 

( Santa Fe) eastward through the western part of the Province of 

Panama (La Campana, Chorrera), throughout the Canal Zone, and 

eastern Panama, to extreme eastern Darien (J aque, Rio J aque, Cana) ; 

on the Caribbean slope from central Bocas del Toro (Cricamola), 

through northern eraguas ( Guava! on Rio Calovevora), northern 

Code (El Uracillo), the Province of Colon (Chilar, Portobello) and 

the Comarca de San Blas ( Mandinga, Perme, Obaldia) ; entering 

Colombia on the western side of the lower Rio Atrato (Unguia, 

Choc6) and along the shores of the Gulf of Uraba at Acandi, Choc6, 

on the western side, and ecocli, Antioquia, on the east. 

This is the first published report of this race for Colombia. Specimens from Acandi and Unguia, both near the Panamanian boundary, 

are like typical examples from Panama. A series of 7 males from 

ecocli on the eastern shore of the mouth of the Gulf of Uraba 

averages faintly paler, more yellowish green below, and very faintly 

more yellowish orange on the head. They thus show an approach 

toward the paler milleri of the Sin u alley to the east, but are to be 

placed ~ ith vitellinus. 

Gould published the description of this manakin twice, first in the 

Zoology of the oyage of H.M.S. Sulphur, where it appeared in 

October 1843 as indicated above. The bird was displayed with 8 other 

new species from this voyage at a meeting of the Zoological Society 

in London in July 1843, but publication in the Proceedings did not 

come until December. In the first publication, in October, Gould 

states that "The specimen here figured was procured by Mr. Hinds at 

Panama, and is the only one I have seen." The introduction to the 

Voyage of the Sulphur indicates that the vessel made sur e s along 

the entire Pacific coa t of the Republic, but it appears clear that the 

locality "Panama" refers to the icinity of Panama Cit , hich is the 

only place mentioned that lies ithin the range of vitelHnus. This is 

accepted, therefore as the re tricted t pe locality. 

MANACUS VITELLINUS VIRIDIVENTRIS Griscom 

M anacus itellinus viridi entris ri com, ull. u . mp. Z ·· 1., ol. 69, pril 

1929, p. 179. (Jim' nez, near uena entura, all , olombia.) 

Characters.- imilar t M. v. vit llinus, but mal ith 10\ r breast, 

abdomen, id , flank , und r tail co rts rump, and u p r tail co rts 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE II 

definitely darker green; yellow of anterior part of body, including the 

neck band, somewhat less orange, more yellow ; female darker green, 

in this resembling female M. v. cerritus, from which it differs in 

being somewhat less yellowish on the abdomen, and duller green above. 

Measurements.-Males (14 specimens), wing 50.6-53.7 (52.2), 

tail 26.3-30.6 (28.7), culmen from base 10.8-12.5 ( II.6), tarsus 20-4-

22.7 (21.5) mm. 

Females (6 specimens), wing 53.0-54.3 (53.5), tail 28.1-30.1 

(29.5), culmen from base 11.6-12-4 (n.9), tarsus 19.1-20.0 (19.6) 

mm. 

Range.-Western Colombia, from northern Choc6 (Rio J urad6, 

Rio J urubida, N uqui) and northwestern Antioquia (Villa Artiaga, 

Dabeiba) south through western Caldas ( Santa Cecilia) and Valle 

( Puerto M uchimbo, Jimenez), including the upper Cauca Valley 

( Riofrio, Cali). 

This race has been supposed to range into extreme eastern Darien 

at Cana but specimens from that locality agree best with typical 

vitellinus. 

MANACUS VITELLINUS MILLER! Chapman 

Manacus v-itellinus milleri Chapman, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 34, 

Dec. 30, 1915, p. 645. (Puerto Valdivia, Antioquia, Colombia.) 

Characters.-Much paler than M. v. vitellinus; male with head 

( except for the black crown) and band across hindneck bright, light 

yellow, without orange; rest of lower surface much paler, being 

grayish green with a wash of yellow; rump and upper tail coverts 

paler; female, definitely paler below, being whitish on abdomen, and 

duller, grayer green above. 

Measurements.-Males (II specimens), wing 49.7-52.9 (51.6), tail 

26.8-30.4 (28.6), culmen from base 10.8-12.2 (n.5), tarsus 20.6-22.3 

(2r.3) mm. 

Females (.6 specimens), wing 52.5-54.5 ( 53.7), tail 28.8-30.8 

(29.6), culmen from base 11.0-12.0 (n.6), tarsus 19.0-20.0 (19.4) 

mm. 

Range.-Northwestern Colombia, from the valley of Rio Sinu 

(Nazaret, Socarre) in western Bolivar, south to the middle Cauca 

Valley in northern Antioquia (Taraza, Puerto Valdivia); recorded 

from Remedios in east central Antioquia at the head of Rio Ite, a 

tributary of the lower middle Rio Magdalena. 

In the series at hand this race is typical on the middle Rio Cauca in 

northern Antioquia. In some specimens from the lower Rio Sinu, 

taken at Nazaret, Tierra Alta, Socarre, and Quebrada Salvajin, most 

of the males have the head somewhat more orange, and the breast 
12 S HTH O IA - MISCELLA EOUS COLLECTIO S OL. 139 

and abdomen ome hat darker, varying in the direction of vitellinus. 

They are thus some-v hat intermediate, but are definitely near niilleri. 

It has been sugge ted that M anacus auran tiacus ( Sal in) found on 

the Pacific slope of estern Panama would eventually prove to be 

conspecific , ith 1. vitellinus, but my studies to date do not bear out 

this supposition. Brighter color, particularly in the male, and smaller 

size mark aurantiacus uniformly throughout its range from southestern Costa Rica through Chiriqui, southern eraguas, and both 

sides of the Azuero Penin ula in eraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos. 

1 anacus vitellinus vitellinus from near Santa Fe, eraguas, and 

La Campana and Chorrera in the ,, estern section of the Province of 

Panama, v here intergradation if present, should occur, show no 

ariation from the normal pattern of that race. From present information the two groups appear to be separated by a savanna area in 

which neither is found. The two appear so completely distinct that 

there is no basis for uniting them. 

ldrich ( 1937, p. 95) separated the population of the estern side 

of the Azuero Peninsula as M anacus aurantiacus fiaviventris, as a 

series from that area appeared brighter colored than those a ailable 

at the time from , estern Chiriqui and south estern Costa Rica. 

During the course of my o n field in estigations I have accumulated 

a considerable series from eraguas and ea tern Chiriqui, and ha e 

examined additional material from western Chiriqui and Costa Rica. 

A study of this extensive material indicates that the supposed differences do not hold. ales in fresh plumage from both areas are 

strong! orange, but as the season progresses there is fading, particularly in the dry months hen sun is more intense. 

The follm ing measurement may be useful for comparison , ·ith 

those of the races of M anacus vitellinus. 

ales ( 2 S specimens), ing 44.8-47 .8 ( 46.3), tail 26.0-30.2 ( 28. 7), 

culmen from base rr.2-12.2 (rr.7), tar us 19.5-20.6 (20.r) mm. 

Females ( 21 specimens), ing 47.8-50.0 ( 48.7), tail 29.0-30.9 

(30.3), culmen from base rr.3-12.3 (n.8) tar us 18.2-20.5 (19.r) 

mm. 

Famil TYR ... ID E: T rant Fl catcher 

TYRANNUS MELANCHOLICUS CHLORONOTUS Berlepsch: Tropical Kingbird, Pechi-amarillo Grande 

T ran.nus chloronotus 

tan.) 

crlep ch, Orni ol. I 1907, p. 474. (T m x, 

f male 

an 1 ach , h 

th t p of lov 

oll ct I an l 

re th r t l n th op n 

hrub. 

u af 

r n 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETM0RE 

Family HrnuNDINIDAE: Swallows 

PROGNE SUBIS (Linnaeus): Purple Martin, Golondrina Turquina 

Hirundo Subis Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. ro, vol. 1, 1758, p. 192. (Hudson 

Bay.) 

On the return journey on March 2 I noted an occasional purple 

martin flying northward, low over the water, near the mainland coast 

from the vicinity of Plantain Cay to Chiriqui Point. These swallows 

are known as migrants through Mexico and Central America, but little 

is reported regarding them in Panama. The only published record 

that has come to my attention is by Zimmer (1955, pp. 4, 5) of an 

immature male of the southwestern subspecies, Progne subis hesperia 

Brewster, taken at Cocoplum, Bocas del Toro, October 27, 1927. 

At Almirante on February 18, 1958, during a forenoon of nearly 

constant rain, a band of 8 purple martins came to rest in dead branches 

of a tall avocado tree beside our house. At intervals others arrived 

until finally between 35 and 40 were present, resting in close formation. When the rain ceased and the sky became lighter two hours later 

they disappeared. From then until March 6, I recorded purple martins 

in northward flight, singly or in scattered, straggling groups, across 

Almirante Bay, along its shoreline, or over the outer beach near 

Boca del Drago. Occasionally a few came to rest in the tree beside 

the house. It appears that there is a regular flight in migration along 

the Caribbean coast. 

The female of a pair taken on February 18, in its darker color on 

the under surface and in wing length of 148 mm., represents typical 

Progne subis subis. The male, with the wing 149.7 mm., agrees m 

size with that race. 

Family TROGLODYTIDAE: VVrens 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS Sclater: Bay Wren, Cucarachero Castano 

Ca becinegro 

Thryothorns nigricapillus Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pt. 28, May 1860, 

p. 84. ( anegal, 4,000 feet elevation, Ecuador.) 

This wren ( fig. 2) was the most common land bird on the island, 

found in pairs scattered through the undergrowth. Though they were 

encountered most often in low tangles, where creepers were matted 

and cover was dense, they ranged also out into more open areas, and 

at times worked up through branches and creepers into the tops of 

the taller trees. They were quite tame, of ten appearing v ithin 6 feet 

or so. On our second day ashore the sky was overcast and it as 

often difficult to see these birds in the darkly shadowed coverts. We 

were usually notified of the presence of a pair by the series of repeated 
14 SMITH O TIA T MISCELLA EO S COLLECTIO S OL. 139 

note that made up the clear song. This resembled do ely that of 

Thr31otlzorus nigricapillus costaricensis as heard at lrnirante, but 

seemed to be higher in tone and so mew hat less aried in repertoire. 

One pair worked busily at a nearl completed nest located near the 

tip of a leaf branch about 6 feet from the ground in heavy undergro-v th. This \Yas a ball, nearly round, of palm and other slender 

Frc. 2.-Bay , ren, Cucarachero Castafio Cabecinegro. 

fiber , \ ith the end projecting all around as a rough fringe. The 

entrance , as in one ide. 

The larger ize and paler color of thi i land population in compari on , ith the bird of the adjacent mainland v ere ea il e ·ident 

in the fi Id. de cription of thi preYiou 1 unknown race follO\ . 

( 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS ODICUS subsp. nov. 

Tlzr3 othorus nigri apillus co taric nsis 

r with 1 ncr r h a i r bill · in 1 r pal r brO\ n. 

2 Thr J•o philus costaric nsis harp , u of the bird in th Briti h fueum, ol. 6, 1881, p. 217. ( alley of the Rio laju la o ta Rica.) 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 

Description.-Type, U.S.N.M. No. 469015, male adult, from Isla 

Escudo de Veraguas, Bocas del Toro, Panama, taken March 1, 1958, 

by Alexander Wetmore ( original No. 22230). Throat, upper foreneck, malar region, loral area, a line on the margin of upper and 

lower eyelids surrounding the eye, a superciliary line extending back 

from the center of the eye, and the auricular region white, with some 

mixture of black on loral area and along upper eyelid; crown, hindneck, side of neck, side of head, except as noted above, and a line 

separating the white malar area from the throat, deep black; back, 

rump, and upper tail coverts auburn, the tail coverts with short central 

bars of black along the shaft; wing coverts auburn, with irregular 

shaft lines and subterminal bars of dusky neutral gray; tertials and 

outer webs of secondaries auburn, barred heavily with dusky neutral 

gray; outer webs of innermost primaries auburn, changing on the 

outer ones to hazel, the brighter color finally reduced to a narrow 

edging on the ninth and tenth; concealed webs of remiges fuscousblack; rectrices dusky neutral gray, barred narrowly with hazel; breast 

and center of abdomen ochraceous-tawny; sides and flanks hazel; 

under tail coverts ochraceous-tawny, barred heavily with black; axillars ochraceous-tawny; under wing coverts ochraceous-buff, mixed 

with white; edge of wing white. Maxilla dusky neutral gray; mandible pale smoke gray, becoming smoke gray at the base; tarsus and toes 

f uscous-black ( from dried skin). 

M easurements.-Males (5 specimens), wing, 75.2-79.2 (77.0), tail 

58.6-62.3 ( 6o.2), culmen from base 21.8-24.2 ( 23.2), tarsus, 28.4-

31.8 (29.7.) mm. 

Females (6 specimens), wing 70.2-72.8 (71.6), tail 54.5-58.8 

(56.8), culmen from base 21.0-22.3 (21.5), tarsus 26.2-28.7 (27.2) 

mm. 

Type, male, wing 7 5.2, tail 58.8, culmen from base 24.0, tarsus 

29.1 mm. 

Range.-Isla Escudo de Veraguas, at sea off the base of the 

Valiente Peninsula, Bocas del Toro, Panama. 

Remarks.-The actual difference in measurements will be indicated 

by consulting the summary of a series of Thryothorus nigricapillus 

costaricensis, the nearest relative, both physically and geographically, 

that is given in the review of the species that follows. 

The name of the new race is from the Latin odfrus, musical, appropriate because of the pleasing song. 

The complete and definite dissimilarity in the lower surfaces found 

in this group of wrens between the chestnut-breasted, white-throated 

groups of the Caribbean slope of icaragua, Costa Rica, and Bocas 
16 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

del Toro, and the forms with the anterior under surface barred closely 

with black and white that range from eastern Darien through western 

Colombia to Ecuador, long led to their separation under two specific 

names. The series of specimens now available justifies their union 

under the specific name nigricapillus, though it may be supposed that 

the two terminal groups must have been separated for a long period 

to have become so completely different. In costaricensis, the darkest 

of the Central American races, and the one farthest removed from 

those of South America, remote common ancestry with the other is 

indicated in the rather indistinct black bars found on the breast and 

sides in the juvenile plumage. This marking may persist in the following plumage, especially on the abdomen, but many are plain chestnut on the posterior lower surface except for the bars on the lower tail 

coverts that are common to .many of the numerous species of the 

genus Thryothorus. Proceeding eastward along the Caribbean coast 

of Panama from the valley of the Rio Calovevora, on the boundary 

between the provinces of Bocas del Toro and Veraguas, the wrens of 

the species under discussion become paler brown, with sides and flanks 

barred with black, except for occasional plain individuals. This group 

-the race castaneus-is found through the lowland Caribbean drainage of the Canal Zone. 

Continuing eastward there is an abrupt change near Portobello 

and in the foothills of the Cerro Azul in which the plain white of the 

throat extends down on the upper breast, the brown on the sides 

becomes paler, and there are strongly marked black bars on sides, 

lower breast, and abdomen in most individuals. This style-the race 

reditus--crosses to the Pacific slope along the base of the Cerro Azul, 

and at Chiman has reached the coastal lowlands. On the Caribbean 

slope it continues almost to the Colombian boundary in the Comarca 

de San Blas, and on the Pacific side to about the western boundary of 

Darien near the Golfo de San Miguel. There is then rather abrupt 

transition to birds with lower surface heavily barred-the race 

schottii. Markings on the white throat are faint or absent, and the 

brown is restricted to the flanks and under tail coverts. In the valley 

of the trato the barring reaches its ma imum and here the throat 

in most specimens is h avily marl, d. The plainer throat p r i ts to 

the eastward in Colombia alon · the Rio in{1, and on the middle and 

upper io Cauca. In southwest rn C lombia, b ginning in the D partm nt f Cauca, the thr at bar b in t 1i ht n still mar and to 

di app ar, and farth r outh, in N arin , th u I r br a t al b om 

1 h avily marl e . Thi tyl 1 ad ov r t t pi al nigricapillus f 

• cuad r, in hi h thr at and upp r br a t arc hit , , ithout bar , an 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 

the flanks and under tail coverts are lighter brown. In all the changes 

that have been described these wrens have remained uniformly chestnut 

above, with black crowns. 

One possible explanation of this interesting gradient might be that 

the plain, chestnut-breasted forms had become established fairly early 

in the Central American area where they have continued with modification toward the elimination of barring. In the South American area, 

on the other hand, the barring became intensified. Through a subsequent spread of range in the latter population, the two groups have 

been brought in contact, with resultant hybridization that has caused 

the mixing that has been described. 

The races recognized as reditus and castaneus represent two stages 

in this process. It would appear that the schottii group has been the 

one in active expansion because of the extensive range that it now 

occupies. It is interesting that the chestnut-breasted group is not 

found farther north in Central America, though there would appear 

to be no ecological barrier to prevent this. 

Hellmayr ( 1934, p. 180) includes another group, Thryothorus 

semibad,ius Salvin, found in tropical lowlands of the Pacific slope 

from southwestern Costa Rica to western Chiriqui, also as a race of 

nigricapillus, but this does not seem justified. The bird in question is 

more finely barred, with 3 narrow dark bars on the individual feathers 

of the breast, and the crown chestnut, concolor with the back; also 

it is smaller. In the schottii-nigricapillus group, which semibadius 

resembles superficially, the black bars are heavier, there are 2 bars 

on the individual feathers of the breast, the crown and upper hindneck 

are deep black, and the size is larger. There is no indication what ever 

of hybridization between semibadius and the adjacent Thryothorus n. 

costaricensis. While juveniles of the costaricensis-nigricapillus group 

show spots or a slight wash of brown on the pileum and hindneck, the 

crown cap remains plainly defined. Thryothorus seniibadius would 

appear to be a·n older offshoot of the ancestral stock that has produced 

the forms with barred breast, and from its limited range one that may 

be on its way to extinction. 

The following summary, based on extensive series throughout the 

entire range of these birds, outlines findings as to their relationships 

and distribution. It should be noted that museum series of skins almost 

invariably include immature individuals that are not fully grown, 

especially in the development of the wings. These are easily detected 

and have been omitted in the measurements that are given under the 

different forms. 
18 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I 39 

THRYOTHORUS SEMIBADIUS Salvin: Salvin's Wren, Cucarachero 

Castano Cabecimoreno 

Thryothorus seniibadius Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, November 1870, p. 18r. 

(Bugaba, ChiriquL) 

Characters.-Crown and hindneck chestnut, concolor with the 

back; under surface white, barred, except for the throat, narrowly 

with black, the breast feathers having three black bars; size smaller. 

Measurements.-Males (8 specimens), wing 6r.4-65.5 (63.3), tail 

42.0-49.2 (46.3), culmen from base 18.7-21.0 (19.9), tarsus 23,4-24.0 

(23.7) mm. 

Females (4 specimens), wing 61.2-64.7 (63.2), tail 43.7-47-4 

(45.8), culmen from base 19.9-20.8 (20.3), tarsus 23.1-24.5 (23.8) 

mm. 

Range.-Tropical zone of the Pacific slope from southwestern 

Costa Rica in the valley of the Rio Pirris to western Panama in the 

Comarca del Baru ( Puerto Armuelles), and the lowlands of extreme 

western Chiriqui ( Divala, Bugaba). 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS Sclater: Bay Wren, Cucarachero 

Castano Ca becinegro 

Thryothorus nigricapillus Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pt. 28, May 1860, 

p. 84. ( N anegal, 4,000 feet elevation, Ecuador.) 

Characters.-Crown and hindneck deep black, in sharp contrast to 

the chestnut of the remainder of the upper surface; under surface 

chestnut, auburn, chestnut-brown, clay color, or white, barred more 

or less with black; in the races that are white below, with 2 black bars 

on each breast feather; size larger. 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS COSTARICENSIS (Sharpe) 

Thryophilits costaricensis Sharpe, Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, 

vol. 6, 1881, p. 217. (Valley of the Rio, San Carlos, Alajuela, Costa Rica.) 

Characters.-Throat and upper foreneck white, rest of lower surface auburn to hazel ; sides in some specimens with a few bars of 

black, which usually are indi tinct. 

M easurern,ents.-Males ( 17 specimens), wing 66.5-72.0 ( 69.3), tail 

51.0-56.8 ( 54.3), culmen from base 20,4-22.7 (21.3), tarsu _,4.5-27.8 

(25.9) mm. 

Femal s (9 specim ns), wing 62.5-67.2 (64.6), tail 47.8-54.0 

(50.2), culm n fr m ba e 19,4-2r.7 (20.5), tar u ....,3._,- 5. ( 4.5) 

mm. 

Range.-Carib an I p fr m outh a t rn abaI , R i ndid , an Juan cl 1 rt ) thr u 

( io Frio, , B nilla, Jim' n z, R ntral ocas 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 

del Toro, Panama. Specimens from Cricamola at the eastern end of 

the Laguna de Chiriqui are intermediate toward castaneus. 

Sharpe described this bird from a single specimen that he said was 

collected by Adolphe Boucard in Costa Rica, without giving a more 

definite locality. Boucard ( 1878, p. 51) in an account of his collections made in Costa Rica listed this wren as Thryophilus castaneus 

Lawrence, with the statement "Several specimens, from San Carlos; 

killed in February." In his itinerary he says that this locality was in 

the Valley of the Rio San Carlos, a tributary of the Rio San Juan on 

the Atlantic slope. I have therefore designated this area as the type 

locality. 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS ODICUS Wetmore 

Characters.-Similar to T. n. costaricensis but larger, with longer, 

heavier bill ; paler brown. 

M easurements.-Given above. 

Range.-Confined to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, off the base of the 

Valiente Peninsula, Bocas del Toro, Panama. 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS CASTANEUS Lawrence 

Thryothorus castaneus Lawrence, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, vol. 7, June 

1861, p. 321. ("Atlantic slope near the Panama Railroad"== Lion Hill, 

Canal Zone.) 

Characters.-Similar to T. n. costaricensis, but paler brown on 

ventral surface, with the white of the throat extending farther down 

on the foreneck, in some reaching the upper breast; more definitely 

barred with black on sides and flanks, in some specimens with the 

bars extending across the lower breast and abdomen. 

M easurements.-Males ( 14 specimens), wing 66.2-70.7 ( 68.9), tail 

49.4-53.7 (51.7), culmen from base 20.3-22.0 (21.0), tarsus 24.9-27.5 

(25.8) mm. 

Females (17 specimens), wing 63.1-67.0 (64.8), tail 46.3-53.4 

(49.2), culmen from base 19.3-21.9 (20.2), tarsus 23-4-25.7 (24.7) 

mm. 

Range.-Caribbean slope from the valley of the Rio Calovevora in 

eastern Bocas del Toro, through northern Veraguas, northern Code 

( extending inland on the northern slope in the higher foothills to the 

headwaters of the Rio Code del orte and the Rio Indio), and 

western Colon ( Chilar, Rio Indio, Col' n, Marajal), to the Canal Zone 

( Gatun, Lion Hill, Barro Colorado Island, Frijoles). 

Back of El Valle, Code, I found these birds at 2,000 feet elevation 

along the upper course of the Rio Mata Ahogada, ranging on its 
20 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

higher branches to 2,500 feet. The divide here between this stream, 

which flows into the Pacific, and the Rio Indio of the Caribbean side 

is low so that rainfall in the heads of the valleys is sufficient to maintain the type of green-leaved undergrowth that these wrens frequent 

across for a short distance on the Pacific side. The birds here do not 

range below 2,000 feet elevation where the scrub growth changes to 

the semiarid type characteristic of the Pacific lowlands of this area. 

This is the only point known to me at which the race castaneus crosses 

to the Pacific slope. Records of Salvin ( 1867, p. I 34) and of Salvin 

and Godman (1880, p. 88) for Santiago de Veraguas are not supported by specimens in the Salvin and Godman collections now in the 

British Museum (Natural History) and are certainly in error. 

The type specimen of castaneus, described by Lawrence, came to 

him in a collection made by James McLeannan and John R. Galbraith 

during the winter of 1860-1861. The collectors were located at Lion 

Hill, but it must be borne in mind that it is certain they covered a 

considerable area along the line of the railroad in the course of their 

work. In the present instance Lawrence ( 1861, pp. 315-316) states 

that their specimens were taken "on the Atlantic side of the isthmus" 

except for half a dozen species that he lists, which do not include the 

bird here under consideration. Though the type specimen of castaneus 

is labeled only "Panama" with the initials of the collectors, the designation "Lion H ill" found in current literature may be accepted as the 

restricted type locality. 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS REDITUS Griscom 

T hryophilus nigricapillus reditus Griscom, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 72, 

January 1932, p. 358. ( Perme, Comar ca de San Blas.) 

Characters.-Similar to T. n. castaneus but with white of breast 

more extensive; sides, abdomen, and under tail coverts paler, duller 

brown; more heavily and extensively barred with black. 

Measurements.-Males (15 specimens) , wing 67.0-70.5 (68.9), tail 

47.5-54.3 ( 52.0) , culmen from base 19.3-2r.9 (20.9), tarsus 24.0-26.5 

(25.5) mm. 

Females ( II specimens), wing 63.2-67.7 ( 65-4), tail 45.0-51 -4 

(48.5 ) , culmen from base 19.o-2r.5 (20.1), tarsus 23.1-26.3 (24.7) 

mm. 

Range.-From eastern Colon ( ortobello) ea tv ard on the Caribbean slope thr ugh the Comarca de an las ( andin a, rme 

Puerto baldia) , cros in through th e t rn C rro zul to the h ad 

f the io acora on the acific sl p , rano-ing tv rd in th rovmcc f anama al ng the Pacific id of the d Maje 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 21 

( Quebrada Cauchero, on the ba£e of Cerro Chucanti), reaching tidewater at Chiman, and on the Rio Maje ( Charco del Toro). 

This race constitutes the definite intergrade between the western 

group with bright brown breast and little or no barring, and the 

eastern and southern population with completely barred breast. 

Transition between castaneus and reditus on the west is fairly abrupt, 

an intermediate condition being evident in one specimen from near 

Frijoles in the Chagres drainage. Birds from near Colon are definitely 

castaneus, while those from near Portobello, 30 kilometers to the 

east, are reditus. At the eastern end the type locality at Perme is 

barely within the range, since skins from Puerto Obaldia, about 

15 kilometers farther east, are intermediate toward schottii, which 

is the race found on the coast at Acandi, Choc6, Colombia, 25 kilometers beyond Puerto Obaldia. 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS SCHOTTII (Baird) 

Thryophilus schottii Baird, Review of American birds in the Museum of the 

Smithsonian Institution, vol. 1, August 1864, p. 123 (in Key) ; September 

1864, p. 133. (Rio Truand6, Choc6, Colombia.) 

Thryophilus nigricapillus connectens Chapman, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., 

vol. 31, July 23, 1912, p. 157. ( Cacal, 5,000 feet elevation, Cauca, Colombia.) 

Characters.-White of throat and foreneck extending down over 

breast, sides, and center of upper abdomen; lower surface heavily 

barred with black, in typical form the bars covering the throat, but 

in intermediate stage the throat partly or wholly plain. 

M easurements.-Males ( 16 specimens), wing 64.0-66.9 ( 67.3), tail 

44.6-51.6 (48.2), culmen from base 19.5-21.5 (20.4), tarsus 24• 4-26.8 

(25.4) mm. 

Females ( ro specimens), wing 59.9-65.6 ( 63.0), tail 43.0-47 .8 

( 45.6), culmen from base 19.0-20.8 ( 19.6), tarsus 23.0-25.0 ( 24.r) 

mm. 

Range.-Darien, eastern Panama, from the lower Rio Sambu 

(J esusito), and the lower Rio Tuira ( Cituro, on Rio Cupe) inland 

to 600 meters elevation near Cana, and south to the valley of the 

Rio J aque; continuing in Colombia throughout Choc6 ( from the 

Pacific coast across to Acandi on the Gulf of Uraba), and western 

Antioquia in the Atrato valley (Villa Artiaga), and western alle 

(Buenaventura and San Jose), to western Cauca (Cocal); east into 

southern Bolivar in the upper Sinu Valley ( Socarre, Quebrada 

Salvajin), and northern Antioquia in the lower Cauca Valley (El 

Pescado), and the valley of the Rio Nechi (Regeneraci6n, El Real, 
22 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

Hacienda Belen), crossing to the Rio Magdalena drainage on the 

Quebrada Enanea (Volador). 

Remarks.-The typical form of this race, with the throat and foreneck distinctly barred with black, is found mainly in the Choc6. In 

southwestern Colombia, through western Cauca, the throat barring 

disappears, and in N arifio the breast appears whiter as the barring 

on this area is reduced. The birds of this region are intergrades of 

unstable character between schottii and nigricapillus. The influence 

of the reditus style of markings produces similar intergrades on the 

opposite side of the range, beginning in northern Choc6 at Acandi on 

the Gulf of Uraba, and extending across to the upper Sinu Valley 

and the lower N echi. Specimens from this area are identical in appearance with those of western Cauca which Chapman named connectens. 

Under these circumstances there is no basis for recognition of such a 

race, as the supposed characters, unstable at best, are duplicated on 

the opposite side of the population of typical schottii. The birds 

described are allocated as intermediates to schottii, except for those 

of Narifio which are placed best with typical nigricapillus. 

THRYOTHORUS NIGRICAPILLUS NIGRICAPILLUS Sclater 

Thryothorus nigricapillus Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pt. 28, May 1860, 

p. 84. ( N anegal, 4,000 feet elevation, Ecuador.) 

Characters.-Similar to T. n. schottii, but averaging lighter brown 

on back, flanks, and under tail coverts; throat, foreneck, and center of 

upper breast immaculate, with the barring reduced on the sides. 

M easurements.-1\tiales ( 13 specimens), wing 62.6-67 .1 ( 65.1), tail 

44.2-50.8 (48.r), culmen from base 19.1-20.9 (20.r), tarsus 24.0-25.5 

(24.6) mm. 

Females (6 specimens), wing 63.9-66.8 (65.5), tail 46.6-50.7 

(48.7), culmen from base 19.2-21.6 (20.0), tarsus 23.0-25.3 (24.2) 

mm. 

Range.-From western Narifio (intermediate) in Colombia south 

through the tropical zone of western Ecuador, nearly to the boundary 

with Peru. 

Remarks.- s indicated under schottii, specimens from arifio are 

intermediate. 

Family Mr ID E: Moel ingbird , Thra her 

DUMETELLA CAROLINENSIS (Linnaeus): Catbird, Pajaro Gato 

Muscicapa carolinen is Linna u , d. r , ol. r, 1766 p. 3 

( irginia.) 

hr r n t 1 an 1 n f m 1 , 11 ct d. 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 

Family PARULIDAE: vVood Warblers 

DENDROICA PETECHIA ERITHACHORIDES Baird: Golden Warbler, 

Canario Manglero 

Dendroica erihtachorides ( == erithachorides, typographical error, corrected in 

index) Baird, Report of explorations and..-;urveys ... for a railroad from 

the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, vol. 9, pt. 2, Birds, 1858, pp. 283, 

976. ( Cartagena, Colombia.) 

These warblers ( fig. 3) were found scattered through the taller 

trees where they were fairly common, though each of the four taken 

appeared to be alone. It should be noted that on Escudo they were not 

restricted to the limited growths of mangroves found near the sea, as 

is the case on the mainland, but ranged throughout the forest growth, 

as appears to be the regular habit of this warbler when found on small 

islands. On the present jsland they ranked third in abundance among 

the smaller land birds. The four taken include three adult males which 

are similar to a small series from the shores of Almirante Bay on the 

nearby mainland. A female that had just begun the molt from the 

gray juvenile dress to the yellow adult plumage had the skull fully 

ossified, indication that this character as a criterion of age is not reliable in tropical areas, where the life cycle of an individual bird is not 

necessarily arranged on a calendar year basis. 

The series from Escudo and from Almirante Bay agree fully with 

type material of this race, which is interesting since specimens from 

Limon, Costa Rica, about 100 kilometers to the north, are Dendroica 

p. bryanti. 

Family THRAUPIDAE: Tanagers 

THRAUPIS VIRENS (Linnaeus): Blue-gray Tanager, Azulejo 

Loxia virens Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 12, vol. r, 1766, p. 303. (Surinam.) 

Blue-gray tanagers were fairly common in the taller trees, a number being seen and three collected. It has been unexpected to find that 

they are so different from the widely distributed race of the mainland 

that they merit description as an additional subspecies. 

THRAUPIS VIRENS CAESITIA subsp. nov. 

Characters.-Similar to Thraupis virens diaconus (Lesson) 3 but 

darker, particularly below; central lower surface nearly uniform in 

shade from throat to under tail coverts ; sides definitely darker ; bill 

longer and heavier. 

3 Ta.nagra (Aglaia) diaconus Lesson, Rev. Zool., June 1842, p. 175. (Realejo, 

Nicaragua.) 
24 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

•1c. 3.- ld n warbl r, Canario Manglero. 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 

Description.-Type, U.S.N.M. No. 469168, female, Isla Escudo de 

Veraguas, Bocas del Toro, Panama, March 2, 1958, collected by 

Alexander Wetmore ( original No. 22248). Crown mineral gray, with 

a faint wash of gnaphalium green, which is stronger on hindneck; 

back and scapulars dull greenish glaucous-blue, changing to light 

glaucous-blue on rump ; upper tail coverts bluish gray-green, washed 

with greenish glaucous-blue at tips; shoulder patch formed by lesser 

and middle coverts, grayish violaceous blue; primaries and secondaries 

dusky neutral gray, with outer webs, except for the tips of the 

primaries, dull Venetian blue; outer webs of scapulars dark gobelin 

blue; central rectrices and outer webs of others dark gobelin blue, 

with inner webs of all but the central pair dark neutral gray; median 

under surface between court gray and gnaphalium green, with center 

of abdomen faintly whitish; sides gnaphalium green; edge of wing 

glaucous-blue; under wing coverts light gull gray to white. Bill dull 

black, except for a wash of hair brown toward base of gonys; tarsus, 

and toes dusky neutral gray ( from dried skin). 

Measurements.-Females (3 specimens), wing 87.5-90.1 (88-4), 

tail 60.1-62.8 (62.3), culmen from base 16-4-18.0 (17.1), tarsus 20-4-

20.7 (20.6) mm. 

Type, female, wing 90.1, tail 62.8, culmen from base 18.0, tarsus 

20-4mm. 

Range.-Isla Escudo de Veraguas, at sea off the base of the 

Valiente Peninsula, Bocas del Toro, Panama. 

Remarks.-The fact that this widely distributed tanager was represented by a distinct form on this small island was not detected until 

I began examination of specimens in the preparation of the present 

report. The three specimens, all females, were taken merely as a 

matter of routine during my visit. Comparison has been made with a 

series of recently collected skins, consisting of 15 females of Thraupis 

virens diaconus, and 21 of T. v. cana. In none of these is there duplication of the characters on which the race caesitia is based. Attention 

was first drawn to the island form by the large bill, this measuring 

13.8 to 15.7 (14.6) mm. in the 15 diaconus, and 13.7 to 15.7 (14.7) 

mm. in the 21 cana. 

Hellmayr ( 1936, p. 214) expressed doubt as to the validity of the 

race diaconus, and recently Blake ( 1958, p. 566) has combined this 

form with can.a. In comparing an extensive series taken throughout 

the range of the two subspecies in question I find, however, that while 

the two are similar in general, diaconus is darker on the back, and 

slightly duller blue on the rump, in addition to averaging somewhat 
SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139 

darker m color below. These characters hold in birds of Central 

America south through the Isthmus of Panama, with intergradation 

in extreme northwestern Colombia. In making comparison it is 

necessary to separate adult from immature birds, since the distinctions 

listed are masked when this is not done. I believe the confusion 

regarding the two races has been due to lack of understanding of this 

fact. 

The name given to the new race, in connection with its darker 

coloration, is from the Latin caesitius, meaning bluish. 

LITERATURE CITED 

ALDRICH, ]OHN W. 

1937. Annotated list of birds, in Aldrich, J. W., and Bole, B. P., Jr., The 

birds and mammals of the western slope of the Azuero Peninsula 

[Republic of Panama]. Sci. Publ. Cleveland Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 

7, pp. 27-139, Aug. 31. 

ANDERSON, C. L. G. 

191 I. Old Panama and Castilla del Oro. Pp. i-xiv, 1-559, 7 maps, 35 pls. 

Washington. 

BLAKE, EMMET R. 

r 958. Birds of V olcan de Chiriqui, Panama. Fieldiana: Zool., vol. 36, No. 

5, pp. 499-577, June 25. 

BoucARD, ADOLPHE. 

1878. 011 birds collected in Costa Rica. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1878, 

pp. 37-71, I pl. 

DAMPIER, WILLIAM. 

1697. A new voyage round the world, describing particularly, the Isthmus 

of America, several coasts and islands in the West Indies, the Isles 

of Cape Verd, the passage by Tierra del Fuego, the South Sea 

coasts of Chili, Peru and Mexico; the Isle of Guam one of the 

Ladrones, Mindanao, and other Philippine and East India islands 

near Cambodia, China, Formosa, Luconia, Celebes&c. New Holland, Sumatra, Nicobar Islands; the Cape of Good Hope and Saint 

Hellena. London, pp. (r-8), i-vi, 1-550, 5 maps. 

HAKLUYT, RICHARD. 

1904. The principal navigations voyages traffiques & discoveries of the 

English nation made by sea or over-land to the remote and farthest 

distant quarters of the earth at any time within the compasse of 

these 1600 years. Vol. X, pp. 226-245. Glasgow. 

HELLMAYR, CIIARLES E. 

1934. Catalogue of birds of the Americas and the adjacent island . Fi ld 

Mus. Nat. Hist., pt. 7, pp. i-vi, 1-531, Nov. 15. 

1936. Id m, pt. 9, pp. i-vi, 1-458, Oct. 6. 

MORI O , AM EL ELIOT. 

1942. Admiral of the Ocean ea, A life of Christoph r Columbu . 1. r, 

pp. i-xlvi, 1-448, 14 maps, 25 ill . ; vol. 2, pp. i- iii, 1- s, 1 m p , 

2 illus. Boston. 
NO. 2 BIRDS OF ISLA ESCUDO DE VERAGUAS-WETMORE 

SALVIN, OSBERT. 

1867. On some collections of birds from Veragua. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 

1867, pt. I, pp. 129-161, I pl., June. 

SALVIN, OSBERT, and GonMAN, FREDERICK DucANE. 

1879-1904. Biologia Centrali-Americana, Aves, vol. 1 (text), pp. i-xliv, 

1-512. 

WETMORE, ALEXANDER. 

1957. The birds of Isla Coiba, Panama. Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 134, 

No. 9, pp. 1-105, 4 pls., 15 figs., July 8. 

ZIMMER, JoHN T. 

1955. Studies of Peruvian birds. No. 66, The swallows (Hirundinidae). 

Amer. Mus. Nov. No. 1723, pp. 1-35, Apr. 29. 
SMITHSONIAN MISCELLAN EOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 139, 1 0. 2, PL. 1 

r. \Ve tern encl of I la Escudo de \Tera 0 ·ua , from the outh. 

2 . outhern hore of ca tern ncl f I ' la E ~cuclo de Y craguas. 

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 

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