PITTA. 415 



Cclestino) ; Mindoro [Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor) ; Negros 

 (Keay) ; Palawan {Bourns cC- Worcester) ; Panay (Bourns d Worcester) ; Rom- 



blon {Bourns d Worcester, McGregor) ; Samar {Steere Exp.) ; Sibutu (Everett) ; 



Sibuyan (Bourns <£ Worcester, McGregor) ; Siqiiijor (Bourns & Worcester) ; Siilii 

 (Platen); Tablas (Bourns d- Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns d Worcester); 



Ticao (McGregor). 



Adult (sexes similar). — Head, sides of head, and neck reddish brown, 

 most intense on occiput ; on each side of head a blackish brown band 

 from nostril to above eye; a blue collar, followed by a dull green patch 

 on mantle; back, rump, tail, and most of the wing blue; chin brown, 

 merging into black on fore breast, followed by a wide dull green pectoral 

 band which is more or less mixed with blue in its middle; rest of under 

 parts bright scarlet; longest under tail-coverts tipped with blue; pri- 

 maries black with blue tips, the third and fourth each with a white spot 

 half way between tip and base; wing-coverts blue, a few of the outer 

 lesser series with large white spots ; tail blue above, black below. Length, 

 160 to 180. A male from Eomblon measures: Wing, 97; tail, 35; cul- 

 men from base, 21; tarsus, 35. A female from Bohol, wing, 97; tail, 

 36; culmen from base, 21; tarsus, 36. 



Young. — The young bird is very diiiereut from the adult, particularly 

 in the coloring of the lower parts which are light earthy brown with 

 very little red on the abdomen; upper parts dull brown; as the bird 

 becomes older the adult plumage gradually makes its appearance; a 

 great number of specimens would be necessary to show all the changes 

 from young to adult. 



"The red-breasted pitta is commou throughout the islands ; it is 

 found on the ground, usually in dark places in the forest and in second 

 growth. Ten males from Mindanao average: Length, 170; wing, 98; 

 tail, 37; culmen, 22; tarsus, 34; middle toe with claw, 29. Six females 

 from the same place, length, 162; wing, 98; tail, 37; culmen, 22; tarsus, 

 34; middle toe with claw, 29. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails 

 dark brown; bill black." (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



"Nearly mature males of this red-bellied pitta were collected near 

 Cape Engaiio. Mr. Whitehead is of the opinion. Ibis (1893), 505, that 

 Piita propinqua Sharpe, is not specifically distinct from the present 

 species. The type of P. propinqua came from the Island of Balabac, and 

 since Mr. "WHiitehead examined the Britisli Museum series we have ob- 

 tained, througli Mr. Everett, an adult male from the typical locality. 

 This bird agrees perfectly with Dr. Sharpe's original description, Trans. 

 Linn. Soc. (1877), 1, 330, and differs much from the typical examples 

 of P. erythrogastra. It must, however, be stated, that both forms were 

 found by Mr. ^^^itellead in the Island of Palawan, one of his specimens 

 being almost typical P. propinqua, and, given a larger series, we should 

 probably find that tbe two forms pass more or less one into the other 



