ERYTHROPITTA CH RULEITORQUES. Red-headed Pitta. Pitta ceruleitorques, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov. ; UC TLON ES LXS Q—OY os ( Ly Aa A P. p. 324, pl. lxiv. (1877).—Meyer, tom. cit. p. 32 3 (1876-77)—Rowley, Ornithological Miscellany, ii. —Gould, Birds of New Guinea, part vii. (1878). 5 e le t t y } { , t M vson owley s = ] Mi 3Ce Ilan that ventieman poin Ss ut € IST] U of Phe red: bi ea | P [ iVic a | ; > tl » S$ O h d ) 1t10 10 tl , > y Stec ute In he M il Mee ae ayan archipelago, and shows how each of the species which I consider should be kept under the heading of ee ; 5 . es Exythropi ; ees work has its own separate area of distribution, however closely tl san ee ae Dee SC ne rane arp] « < 5 itta celebensis is the species of C ie : el ae be allied as species. Thus Erythro- pitta celebensis is the species of Celebes, E. palliceps of Siao, E. ceruleit ee eee a ‘ S1a0, 4. cerulertorques of Sangi (Sanehir), . ery- throgastra of the Philippines, 22. cyanonota of Ternate, E. rufiventris : ae ey a J ( , EL. rufiventris of Batchian and Gilolo, and Z. mackloti of Papua and its islands, as well as the northern part of Australia. M i fe cea ; : I Australia. Many other instances of a similar distri- ) ilar distri bution could be brought forward. Count Salvadori, in his original descripti Sn tee Ont cans : ~. ; : a al description of the present species, writes as follows :—‘‘ This species and the P. erythrogastra of the Philippines ar HOVER . : , d A | es ppines are the only species of the subgenus Lrythropitta which have a ue band on the neck; an . ceruleitorques differs fr ; . aoe : i : ie “ anc ceruleitorques differs from the above-named bird principally in the more uniform red colour of the heé hich becomes me eee eae a 0 the head, which becomes much brighter on the neck, by the absence of the two dall bands on the side of the crown, by the reddish-brown colour of the sides of the head and throat, by the blue colour of the breast being more extended crosswise and separated from the red of the abdomen by a well-marked black band, and by the somewhat larger dimensions.” Dr. Meyer obtained several examples of the blue-ringed Pitta from Sangi, at Tabukan, on the north-east coast of the island, no difference being observable in the colour of the sexes; and I give the following extract from his remarks communicated to the ‘ Ornithological Miscellany :’— “This species inhabits the largest island of the Sangi group, and is an interesting one, because it Is more closely allied to Pitta erythrogastra from the Philippines in the north than to the two species from islands immediately to the south (viz. Pitta palliceps from Siao, and Pitta celebensis from Celebes), and therefore presents a good example of variation of species in consequence of separated insular habitat. Good examples for the same point of view are, amongst others, Pitta cyanonota from Ternate, and Pitta rufiventris from Halmahera, in their relation to the species from the neighbouring islands (New Guinea, Celebes, the Pitta palhiceps on Siao is as slightly different from Pitta celebensis on Sangi is from Pitta erythrogastra on the Philippines. That insular loubted, in my opinion ; nevertheless we cannot ’ Ny } > Sangi and the Philippine Islands). Celebes as Pitta ceruleitorques on separation is a reason for such variations is not to be ¢ examine this subject more closely at present. Pitta celebensis, for instance, does not show the least difference over the whole extent of the island of Celebes. exactly those from Manado (nearly the north and south points | diately a variation appears 1n Pitta palliceps. Whether My specimens from the neighbourhood of Makassar resemble of this long island) ; whereas when we cross over to the closely neighbouring island of Siao, imme | this variation has specific value or not is of no importance at all upon this part o the question. Aathors do not agree, and never will agree, at least for some time to come: one ce it has, the other says it has not; but all see that a difference exists 5 and this is of value, notwithstanding ; eee... constant one. That insular separation does not constant differences is known ; and I only fers toa c ts smallness, because it is a always produce Ae na, aa ee Dy oti, I wot a large ion | t i it re oly allied species, Pitta mack/lote. got a lars mention it here for this reason that it re losely allied ; ; - ae sot ss se : : sae ae a ei é. Andei, Passim, Inwiorage, R : series of specimens on New Guinea in different places, viz. at Dore, Andel, assim, ge, ; i ‘Jand of Jobi in the north of Geelvink Bay. I first thought that the Elephant Mountams, and some on the island: of Job IE =” ao y: 0 iff j ener eran mmoted this difference in my diary ; but now, the Jobi specimens differed by brighter colours in general, ¢ ee ' ee i o fr everal of the New-Guinea specimens. in the cabinet, I do not see the slightest difference from several 0 | ‘ i iption 1 slati , original one given D The following description 1s a translation of the original ; 7 ie 1. briohter towards the hmad peck ; Head above red, the latter colour perceptibly brighter ‘i urds = ie a te of ae + throat ; a blue be ‘ atc ack on the lower throat 5 : ry broad patch of black o ee eee ek Bt latter succeeded by a band of black 5 the wings, upper tail-coverts, < ‘ preast, the latter succeeded ©) of breast olivaceous ; abdomen and unde s marked in the middle with a white spot; a W lite Count Salvadori :— sides of head and throat brownish red ; ave very broad one on the ee lear bluish lead-grey ; back, scapulars, and sides st oln : tail-coverts blue ; primarte ; bill and feet dusky. ; oa ig 48, tail 14, tarsus 8- es to the kindn their specimens: rR. B. SJ red; tips of the longer unde spot near the bend of the wing Total length 6 inches, culmen 1:0, va I owe the opportunity of figuring this spec! both of whom lent me ; ai : Na lys Tn? Ny ess of two friends, Count Salvadori and Mr. George Dawson Rowley, co