106 



Mr. A. R, Wallace on the Genus Pitta. 



9. 

 10. 



trena . 



concinna , 

 strepitans 



crassirostris . . Sulla Islands. 

 vigorsi . . . Banda Island. 



. Timor and "Ternate," Schleg. (query 



crassirostris). 

 . Lombock, Sumbawa, and Flores. 

 . Australia. 



This form therefore extends over the whole area of the genus, 

 from West Africa to Eastern Australia. It is absent, however, 

 from the Philippine Islands, Celebes, Java, and New Guinea, 

 where species of other sections take its place. Having such a 

 wide range, and being of comparatively simply-coloured plumage, 

 this group may be looked upon as typical of the genus, as being 

 that portion of it which probably retains most of the primitive 

 type, and from which the other more brilliantly coloured and 

 more isolated forms may be supposed to have been derived. 

 Sect. 2. Species in which the buff of the under parts in the last 

 group is replaced by green. All are of comparatively small 

 size : — 



11. cucullata . . Nepal,Burmah,and the Malay Peniusula. 



12. muelleri . . Sumatra and Borneo. 



13. hangkana . . Banca Island. 



14. atricapilla . . Philippine Islands. 



15. forsteni . . Celebes. 



16. novce-guinea . New Guinea and the Papuan Islands. 



This group has also a rather wide range, extending from the 

 Himalaya to New Guinea. A remarkable feature of its distribution 

 is the gap between Celebes and New Guinea (including all the 

 MoluccaIslands),in which no species of this section seems to exist. 



Sect. 3. Species with ashy-blue breast and red belly, and which 

 want the silvery-blue patches on the rump and shoulder of the 

 preceding groups : — 



17. erijthrogastra . Philippine Islands. 



18. celebensis . . Celebes. 



19. ruhrinucha . . Bouru. 



20. rufiventris . . Gilolo and Batchiau. 



21. cyanunota . . Ternatc. 



22. mackloti . . New Guinea and the Papuan Islands. 



