PRPYE A ORE A Ss, Swinh.

Formosan Pitta.

Pitta oreas, Swinh. in Ibis, 1864, p. 4

28.—Klliot, Ibis, 1870, pp. 408, 415, pl. xiii. fig
of Birds, vol. i. p. 295. :

. 1—G. R. Gray, Hand-list

 

 

 

Two specimens of this bird were obtained by Mr. Swinhoe, one in the Island of Formosa, the other from the
mountains near Taiwanfoo.
At first sight it might be considered by many persons the

same as the Pitta bengalensis of India; but
from that bird it is at once distinguished by the total absence

of the white patch on the under wine-coverts,
a feature which is very conspicuous in the Bengal bird when the wing

are spoken of by Mr. Swinhoe and Mr. Elliot; but as they wil
of those gentlemen, I need not repeat them here.

is raised. Other minor differences
| be found in my extracts from the writings

It will be seen that Mr. Swinhoe speaks of one of his specimens bemg adorned on the upper surface with

arrowhead-shaped markings of black—a feature precisely similar to the striae mentioned in my account
of P. bengalensis, and which may probably be, as Mr. Swinhoe suspects, a characteristic of the nuptial plumage.

“The example described in ‘ The Ibis’ for 1864,” says Mr. Swinhoe in some notes with which he has
furnished me, ‘‘ was brought to me from the mountains of ‘Tamsuy, in the north-western part of the Island
of Formosa, and was sprinkled over the back and wing-coverts with arrowhead-shaped markings of black.
The only other example I procured was from the mountains near Taiwanfoo: it had no spots on its upper
surface ; but in other respects they were alike. Both were brought to me in skin, and therefore I could not
ascertain their sex. The first was shot in May; and it strikes me that the spots with which it was
decorated indicate the nuptial plumage. Having never seen this Pitta in its haunts, I can give no account
of its habits.

“Tt is allied to Pitta cyanoptera and P. nympha. From the former it can at once be distinguished by
its reddish crown and light underparts, and from the latter by the colour of its crown and the want of
the black chin.”

“This bird,’ remarks Mr. Elliot, ‘belongs to that group which is distinguished from the other
divisions of the family by having the underparts buff. It is most nearly allied to Brachyurus coronatus”
(Pitta bengalensis), “but can readily be distinguished by the crown being of a dull reddish-brown, and by
having the under wing-coverts jet-black without any trace of the white feathers which form so conspicuous
a mark in its near ally.” i a

The accompanying representations of this species were drawn ee Me ere s ee for the le of
which, as well as for many other similar favours, I here record my obligations to him. Science has os
been greatly enriched by the exertions of this gentleman, and I certain ihe eros ae a ie i y
join me in bearing testimony to the great value of his many and varied contributions to several departments
of zoology.

The following is Mr. Swinhoe’s original description of this species :— : oe

“Crown dull reddish brown; eye-streak ochre-yellow ; median coronal siteal and SUPE from the a
of the bill, under the ear-coverts, to the back of the neck, and the entire hinder part of the neck, black ;
back and scapularies green ; shoulder-spot and upper
tertiary quills green, more or less tinged with blue, and more or : a ag es

: S : Hie samvino portions of the first seven, the tenth slightly edged
and tail black, the former with a white spot occupying pol . ae
- : sede the tertiaries, broadly edged for a good part of their outer web

at the tip with bluish; the rest, towards the tertiaries, D ane

i ith a ting ‘thre; under
with bluish green ; throat and neck white, with a tinge of ochre ;
breast downwards, and the

tail-coverts fine verditer blue; wing-coverts and

less black on their inner webs ; primaries

surface pale ochreous, washed with

whole of the under tail-coverts,

n iS » > T °C he

reen on the flanks ; centre of the belly from the a ae

: ee : shoulder-edge greenish blue ; bill black ; legs and claws
fine carmine ; axillaries black ; underside of the shoulder-eage §

light flesh-colour.”
The figures are of the natural size.