394 



PITTID.E. 



Coloration. Forehead and crown pale fulvous, with a broad 

 median black band from the forehead to the nape ; a narrow super- 

 cilium and the feathers under the eye white ; a very broad black 

 band passing under the eye, over the ear-coverts, and meeting the 

 median coronal band on the nape ; back, scapulars, and upper rump 

 green ; lower rump, upper tail-coverts, and lesser wing-coverts 

 sinning pale blue ; tail black, tipped with dull blue ; median coverts 

 and tertiaries green ; greater-coverts green, with the bases of the 

 outer feathers black ; winglet and primary-coverts black ; primaries 

 black, each with a basal white patch and a grey tip ; secondaries 

 black, tipped with white, and with the terminal portion of the 

 outer web margined with dull blue ; chin and throat white ; 

 remainder of lower plumage fulvous, the middle of the lower 

 abdomen and the under tail-coverts crimson ; under wing-coverts 

 black, with a patch of white near the edge of the wing. 



Iris dark brown ; bill blackish, paling to reddish brown on 

 culmen; legs and feet pale purplish fleshy (Butler). 



Length about 7 - 5; tail 1-8; wing 4-1; tarsus 1-4; bill from 

 gape 1-1. 



Distribution. The whole of India from Eastern Rajputana and 

 Garhwal to Sikhim and Calcutta, extending south to Cape Comorin 

 and Ceylon. This Pitta is a local migrant, being found in the 

 southern part of its range in the winter, and in the central and 

 northern portions in the hot weather and rains, but a certain 

 number of birds appear to be constant residents in all parts of its 

 range suited to its habits. 



Habits, &c. Breeds in the Central Provinces of India in July and 

 August, building a huge globular nest of twigs and leaves on the 

 ground or on low branches. The eggs are of the usual type, glossy 

 white, marked with maroon and purple, and measure about 1-01 

 by -86. 



934. Pitta coccinea. The Malayan Scarlet Pitta. 



Pitta coccinea, Eyton, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 104 ; Hume $• Dav. S. F. vi, 

 p. 511 ; Hume, Cat. uo. 345 quat. ; Sclater, Cat. B. M. xiv, p. 431. 



Brackyurus grauatinus (Temm.), Elliot, Mon. Pitt. pi. xv (pt.) ; id. 

 Ibis, 1870, p. 417 (pt). 



Eucickla coccinea (Eyton), Oates, B. B. \, p. 417. 



Coloration. The forehead, for about a quarter of an inch or to a 

 point well in front of the eye, the lores, a streak over the eye, and 

 the sides of the head black ; crown and nape deep crimson, bordered 

 on either side of the nape by a streak of lavender-blue ; the whole 

 upper plumage purplish blue, most brilliant on the back and dull 

 on the other parts and tail ; wing-feathers black, the outer edges 

 and tips more or less tinged with blue ; lesser wing-coverts plain 

 black ; the greater coverts black, all broadly tipped with glistening 

 blue ; chin and throat rufous, the feathers all tipped with dark 

 brown ; the breast purple, each feather edged with crimson ; sides 

 of the body, abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts crimson. 



