——— RESaS Se

 

Black-headed Pitta.

Pitta atricapilla, Cuv.M ull. Verh. Nat. Gesch. Nederl. Ind., p. 19.
Philippensis, Vieill.

 

—— melanocephala, Wag.
— brevicauda, Bodd.—Gray.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 214, Pitta, sp. 28.
Corvus brachyurus philippensis, Gmel.

 

Brachyurus atricapilla, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 256, Brachyurus sp. 25.—Buff. Pl. Enl., 89
Som 2oF > Pl, oo
___—. Miilleri, Bonap. Consp, Gen. Av., p. 256, Brachyurus. sp. 23 ?

 

 

Tur Indian Islands would seem to be the great stronghold of the members of the beautiful Peete, for
although some of the species are found on the continent of India, by far the greater number of them inhabit
the islands running southward from thence to Australia. It will be seen that I have considered the Pitta
Milleri as identical with the present bird ; if I am wrong in so doing, an opportunity will doubtless occur for
my correcting the error. I have now before me several specimens from very distant localities, all so inti-
mately allied, as to leave no doubt in my mind of their being one and the same species. From the collection
of T. C. Eyton, Esq., I have a fine adult from China ; in the British Museum there are both old and young
birds from the Philippine Islands; while in my own collection there is a specimen from Borneo, the
latter differing only in being a trifle larger in size than those from more northern localities, the colouring
and every mark being precisely the same. If the Pitta Millert be distinct, it is a bird I have not seen, or
my recollection has failed me since [ examined the fine series of this group of birds in the splendid Museum
at Leyden.

Although the brilliant plumage is acquire

ference occurs both in the intensity of the b

d almost as soon as the bird has left the nest, considerable dif-
lack which covers the head and the extent of the white on the
moreover, in the youthful state the first and second

primaries, which is much less than in the adults ;
rge blotches of white occur on the secondaries, of

primaries are in some instances entirely black ; and la
which there is no trace whatever when the bird has attained its complete livery. A difference is not to be
of the sexes, for they are alike in this respect, a somewhat smaller size only
of bamboos, forests bordering hills, and dry stony gullies shrouded
ct its habits assimilate to those of its

looked for in the colouring
indicating the female. Dense woods
from the light, are the favourite resort of this bird, in which respe
prototypes in Australia, the Pétta Iris and P. strepitans.

Head and neck deep black 5 back, scapularies and tertiaries dark
white, tipped with brownish black; spurious

tailecoverts shining verditer blue; tail

grass-green ; lesser wing-coverts shining

verditer blue; greater coverts light grass-green ; primaries
and upper
shoulder black; breast, abdomen and flanks

bill black ; feet fleshy brown.

wing and base of the secondaries deep black; rump
deep black, slightly tipped with green; under surface of the
green; centre of the abdomen and under t

The front figure is of the natural size; the hinder one somewhat reduced.

ail-coverts blood-red ;