53 



brown ; under tail coverts ashy ; back ashy-brown. Female has a 

 less singular tail. 



Hab. : 4 (N.S.W.) 



425. M. victoriae, Gld., Victoria Lyre-bird. 



Outer tail feather white below, bars being chestnut ; under tail 

 coverts ashy ; back ashy-brown. Female has a less singular tail. 

 Hab. : 4 (Vic.) 



426. HI. alberti, Gld., Albert Lyre-bird. 



Outer tail feather not barred ; under tail coverts chestnut ; upper 

 surface also rufous-brown or dull chestnut. Female. — Tail less 

 singular. 



Hab. : 3. 



DIVISION II.— MESOMYODI. 



Intrinsic muscles of the voice organ affixed at or near the middle of the 

 bronchial semi-rings. 



Subdivision I.— Oligomyodse. 



Lower end of trachea not modified ; syrinx as in the Oscines, but with a 

 lesser number of singing muscles. 



FAMILY— PITTTD^E : Ant-Thrushes. 



Plantar vinculum lost ; manubrium forked ; tarsus ocreate ; rectrices 



twelve. 



Genus— PITTA. — Tail short, more or less squared. 



427. P. StrepitailS, Temm. (including P. simillima, Gld.), Noisy 



Pitta. 



Above dark green ; crown dark chestnut- brown, with a slight 

 black vertical stripe ; sides of head, nape, and back of neck black ; 

 wing feathers black, with white speculum ; beneath pale fawn 

 colour ; throat and centre of neck black ; patch in centre of 

 abdomen black ; lower belly scarlet ; tail black, tipped with 

 greenish. 



P. simillima represents the species in the North, and is smaller ; 

 there are "go-betweens " 



Total length, 8'5 in. ; wing, 5 in. ; tail, 2 in. 

 Hab. : 2, 3. 



428. P. mackloti, Temm., Blue-breasted Pitta. 



Above dull green ; rump, upper tail coverts, and wing coverts 

 blue ; wing feathers black, with white speculum ; head reddish- 

 brown ; chin brown, passing into large black guttural patch ; broad 

 breast band greyish-blue, bordered below with wide black margin , 

 abdomen scarlet. 



Total length, 7 in. ; wing, 4 in. ; tail, 1 6 in. 

 Hab. : 2. 



429. P. iris, Gld., Rainbow Pitta. 



Above green ; whole head and nape black, with broad stripe from 

 behind each eye, joining at nape, chestnut ; lesser wing coverts bright 

 silvery-blue, tipped with purple ; narrow rump band silvery-green ; 

 tail black, broadly tipped with green ; beneath black ; lower belly 

 and vent scarlet. 



Total length, 6 in. ; wing, 4 in. ; tail, 1 *4 in. 

 Hab. : 1. 



