MELANOPITTA CUCULLATA.
Hooded Pitta.

Pitta cucullata, Hart). Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1833, p. 65.—Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 213 (1846).—Blyth, Cat. B.
Mus. As. Soc. p. 157 (1849).—Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1854, p. 274.—Horsf. & Moore, Cat. 1B}, Bll.
Co. Mus. ii. p. 399 (1856).—Cass. U.S, Expl. Exp. Birds, p. 437 (858). Jerd, B. Ind: i, p. 504

(1862).—Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 295 (1869).—Gould, B. Asia, part xxx. (1877).—Hume & Davison,
Str. F. 1878, p. 245.—Hume, Str. F. 1879, pp. 59, 94.

Pitta nigricollis, Blyth, J. A. S. Beng. xii. p. 960 (1843).

Pitta rhodogaster, Hodgs. J. A. S. Beng. xii. p- 961 (1843).

Pitta malaccensis, Mill. & Schleg. Verh. natuurl. Gesch., fol., Zool. Pitta, p. 19 (1844).

Pitta coronata, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exped. Birds, p. 891 (1848).

Brachyurus cucullatus, Bp. Consp. i. p. 255 (1850).—Elliot, Monogr. Pittide, pl. xxvii. (1863).—Hume, Str.

Feathers, 1875, p. 109.—Blyth & Walden, Birds of Burma, p. 98 (1875).
Melanopitta cucullata, Bp. Consp. Volucr. Anis. p. 7 (1854).—Hume, Str. Feathers, 1874, p. 475.—Id. Nests and
Eggs Ind. B. p. 225 (1875).

 

Tuts species is rather an aberrant member of the subgenus Melanopitta, inasmuch as it has the head
chestnut instead of black as is usual with the members of this section; but the rest of its coloration shows
that it is a close ally of the typical members of the black-headed group. Like the other members of the
family, it is evidently a migratory bird, and breeds in Nepal and the Eastern Himalayas. Mr. Hume, who
has translated many of the original notes from Mr. Hodgson’s MS., states that the latter gentleman found
a Hooded Pitta breeding in the central regions of Nepal and about Darjeeling in April and May. They
build large globular nests, one of which measured nearly 6°75 inches externally and bad a circular
opening fully 3 inches in diameter on one side. They place their nests very generally on the ground,
in clumps of bamboos; and they construct them of dry bamboo leaves and twigs, and stems of plants, firmly
and compactly interwoven. The exterior is rough and strong ; the interior lined with soft vegetable fibres.
They lay four eggs, very broad oval, glossy, with a pinky white ground, pretty thickly spotted all over with
reddish and brownish purple; an egg figured measures 0°96 by 0:79 inch. Dr. Jerdon observes that
he ** procured one specimen, which was killed by a Lepcha when seated on her nest on the banks of the Great
Rungit river, about 1200 feet above the sea. The nest was composed chiefly of roots and other fibrous
matter, with a few hairs, and contained three eggs of a faint greenish white with a few reddish and some
fawn-coloured spots.” Mr. Hume also states that it is very common in Sikhim. Blyth, in his ‘ Birds
of Burmah,’ mentions its occurrence in the Khasia Hills and in Arakan ; and Captain Wardlaw Ramsay
obtained it at Rangoon, as did also Captain Feilden at Thayetmyo. Writing of its occurrence in Upper
Pegu, Mr. Oates remarks :— I met with this bird in one ravine only, in the evergreen forests, phe I
procured several specimens. I searched many precisely similar localities, but never again met with it.”
It was doubtless on migration that the species was procured by Mr. Oates on the above-mentioned
occasion ; for it is stated by Mr. Hume to be only a seasonal visitant to the ae and central portions
of Tenasserim ; and it is doubtless only as a migrant that it is met with in the Malayan peninsula.
Mr. Davison’s note on the bird in Tenasserim is as follows :—‘ This species is much rarer and more of a
forest bird than P. moluccensis. Its call is similar, but not nearly so often heard— firstly began the bird
is only about one tenth as numerous, and secondly because those that are ‘herve call aa less frequently.
These also sit about in trees a great deal, and, like P. moluccensis, are, I believe, merely migrants, as I have
only shot them from April to July.” ; oe eee

Body green above; head light chestnut-brown, the lores, eyebrows, Be o ae ee ue os ‘ a
as the hind part of the latter and throat, black; upper tail-coverts rich cobalt ; ae eee a
cobalt ; primaries with a broad band of white; under surface a body oneeny) on ue me ab ome a
the lower abdomen and under tail-coverts scarlet, thighs brown. The soft parts are described

ack pat I 3 irl
Becks patch s “The bill was black, the inside of the mouth dusky fleshy, irides dark coffee-

by Mr. Oates as follows :— ei of

brown, eyelids pale plumbeous fleshy pink, claws pinkish horny. cuts qeceie a ee
All writers agree that specimens from the Eastern Himalayas are i is ; i aoe ae

Burmese provinces and Malacca; some of the birds, however, have the back striy 3 :

I take to be immature. ; :
es € i ‘I 1 y ec ar of the natural SIZe.
I fi i ate V © PAWT from specimens in m coll ction, are
4 ‘he gur 3 In th S I lat Pay hich al draw n }

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