504 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Length about 7 inches ; wing 4^ ; tail I-^-q ; bill at front i-^- ; 

 tarsus 1^. 



This prettily plumaged Ground-thrush is found throughout the 

 whole of India, from the sub-Himalayan range to Cape Comorin. 

 It is also found in Ceylon, but never on the eastern side of the 

 Bay of Bengal. It is most common in forest country, but is also 

 found occasionally in every part of the country that is tolerably 

 Avooded. In the Carnatic it chiefly occurs in the beginning of the 

 hot weather, when the land-winds first begin to blow with viol- 

 ence from the west ; and the birds, in many instances, appear to 

 have been blown, by the strong wind, from the Eastern ghats, for 

 being birds of feeble flight, they are unable to contend against the 

 strength of the wind. At this time they take refuge in huts, out- 

 houses, or any building that will afford them shelter. The first bird 

 of this kind that I saw had taken refuge in the General Hospital 

 at Madras ; and, subsequently, at Nellore, I obtained many alive 

 under the same circumstances. Layard states that in Ceylon it is 

 migratory, coming in with the Snipe, i. e. in the beginning of the cold 

 weather. He further remarks that it is shy and wary, resorting to 

 tangled brakes and ill-kept native gardens. It seldom alights on 

 trees. It is generally found single ; but I have seen three or four 

 together ; and it feeds chiefly on the ground, on various coleopter- 

 ous insects. It progresses by hopping, as do others of this family; 

 and is in general a most silent bird, though it is said to have, at 

 times, a fine loud whistling note. Its Singalese name is said to be 

 derived from its call Avitch-i-a, pronounced slowly and distinctly. 

 Blyth was informed that it has a screeching note. Nearly allied 

 to this are P. cyanoptera, from Burmah; P. malaccensis, from Malac- 

 ca; P. irena, T, from Timor, and some others. 



The next species is placed by Bonaparte in his division, Melano" 

 cephali. 



346. Pitta cucuUata, Hartlaub. 



P. rhodogastra, Hodgs., J. A. S., XII., 961 (the young bird) — 

 P. nigricollis, Blyth, J. A. S., XIL, 960— Ann. Nat. Hist., 1844, 

 pi. 20— Blyth, Cat. 960— Horsf., Cat. App., Q52—PhaUim pJio, 

 Lepch. 



