Viewing page 181 of 299

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Mixed Diglossini, Sept. 30, 1962, V. 11

[[left margin]] Humer [[/left margin]]
in edgewise. During every one of the last 3 mornings, there have been long pauses, in the Laf area, during which Lafs were not singing. And songs are also comparatively rare in the lower area (at least in the middle of the day and the afternoons).

[[left margin]] Humer [[/left margin]]
It is more likely that Humer songs are rare here because the birds seldom encounter territorial rivals of their own species. The "hybrid" (with or without mate) may be the only Humer in the Laf area. And the Humers of the lower area seem to be quite scattered. The population there is certainly very much lower and sparcer than the population of Aters near Quito.

[[left margin]] Humer Laf Gen [[/left margin]]
It seems obvious, however, that the "hybrid" in the Laf region is not stimulated to sing by the sound of Laf singing in the same way that the Albis were stimulated by Glor singing near Merida, or the Albis were stimulated by the singing of other species near Quito. Is this sort of stimulation a specialized character?

[[left margin]] Glor Albi [[/left margin]]
Looking over my notes, I find that I have no definite evidence that Glors were stimulated by Albi singing.

[[left margin]] Glor Humer [[/left margin]]
Glors and Humers both seem to be comparatively well isolated, ecologically, from other sympatric Diglossas. Perhaps they have not had to develop responsiveness to the songs of other species simply because they encounter other species so rarely????

I am now beginning to wonder about my identification of the single Ater in the park here the day before yesterday. Perhaps it was an Albi???

ADDITIONS:

[[left margin]] Sitti [[/left margin]]
The Sitti here looked remarkably like Inter. The blue color did stretch up above the side of its head, although there was no post-ocular stripe. Perhaps this bird was partly intermediate between typical s. sitticolor and typical intermedium???

[[left margin]] Laf [[/left margin]]
The songs of Lafs often slow down as they proceed. I.E. within