MELANOPITTA SORDIDA. Black-headed Pitta. Le Merle verd a teste noire des Moluques, Brisson, Orn. ii. p. 319 Merle des Philippines, D’ Aub. Pl. Eni. pl. 89. ae Breve des Philippines, Montb. Hist. Nat. Ois. iii. p. 412. Turdus sordidus, P. L.S. Mill. Hist. Nat. Anhang, p. 143 (1766) Turdus brevicauda, Bodd. Pl. Enl. de D’Aub. p. a : Corvus philippensis, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 375 (1788). eee Tag cncceniaia, Wagl. Syst. Av. Corvus, no. 14 (nec Forst.). Pitta Sn p. 394 (nec Mill. & Schleg.).—Temm. Pl. Col. Tabl. Méth. p. 16.—Less. Compl. Pitta macrorhyncha, J. E. Gray, Zool. Misc. Deroe Brachyurus atricapillus, Elliot, Monogr. Pittide, pl. 25. Pitta sordida, Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 295, no. 4359. Brachyurus sordidus, Elliot, Ibis, 1870, p. 419 (part.).—Sharpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. 2nd ser. Zool. i p. 331 Melanopitta sordida, Wald. Trans. Zool. Soc. ix. p. 187.—Tweedd. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, p. 949.—Wardlaw- Ramsay, Orn. Works of Marquis of Tweeddale, pp. 352, 411, 639, 657 (1881). Tue long list of names given above shows that this species has been the recipient of many different titles ; and much confusion has been the result. I think I cannot do better than quote the remarks on the subject given by the late Marquis of Tweeddale in his paper on the Birds of the Philippine Archipelago (Trans. Zool. Soc. ix. p. 188). “The synonymy of this species is somewhat perplexing, in consequence of Brisson (/. c.) having given a description, applying in all its details to the Philippine bird, to an individual said by him to have been sent to ’Abbéy Aubre from the Moluccas. Montbeillard (Z. c.) some years later described seemingly the same bird (and it was figured by D’Aubenton /. c.), but attributed its origin to the Philippines. The difficulty thus caused would probably have remained through all time unsolved had not Le Vaillant, by one of his gratuitous and carping criticisms, unintentionally assisted us. With the view of showing that Buffon was in the habit of describing as good species individuals that had been manufactured by dishonest dealers, Le Vaillant (Ois. de Par. vol. i. p. 106) incidentally alludes to this species. He asserts that the description given by Buffon (Montbeillard) of his ‘ Breve des Philippines’ was taken from a specimen of the ‘ Bréve de Ceylan’ (= Corvus brachyurus, Linn.), which the head of the common Blackbird had been substituted. This example, Le Vaillant says, formed part of the Abbé Aubrey’s cabinet ; and adds that he purchased it when that collection was sold, and at once discovered the imposition. This story Cuvier (R. A. 1817, p. 356, note 2) repeated on Le Vaillant’s authority. Vieillot (Nouv. Dict. p. 358, and Tabl. Méthod. Orn. p. 686) did the same without mentioning his authority. It remained uncontradicted until Wagler (/. c.) showed that Le Vaillant was in error. And Cuvier in the second edition of the ‘Régne Animal’ (p. 373, note) also corrected Le Vaillant. The statement that Montbeillard described from the specimen in Aubrey’s cabinet may be accepted ; for it is supported by the Ee cy Oe Montbeillard (/. ¢.), who, in a footnote, remarks that it is the same bird that Brisson made his o7th As no species of Melanopitta is known to exist in the Moluccas, we are justified in assuming ‘ Grive.’ , a Philippine example, and in regarding their that Brisson and Montbeillard described from the same descriptions as having formed the common basis of all subsequent s of Pitta.” ; se yan a ‘esc gnc With this species has very often been united the Bornean Melanopitia muellert ; nt this is quite dis inc - M. sordida not having the black patch on the belly which is conspicuous 1 M. muelleri. The present bird, : : sa aa as far as we know, is entirely confined to the Philippine group, Woe! ing islands—Luzon, Negros, Camiguin, ¢