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•“ There are men both wise and good, who hold that in a future state

Dumb creatures we have cherished here below

Shall give us joyous greeting as we pass the pearly gates :


Is it folly that I hope it may be so ? ”



PITTAS IN CAPTIVITY.


By the Rev. Hubert D. Astley, M.A., F.Z.S.


I have been fortunate enough to secure a hand-reared

brood of four Pittas (P. bengalensis) which were brought from

India, and landed on the 19th of September in the London

Docks.


They seem strong and healthy, and feed well upon an

insectivorous mixture (Insectivorous Food Co.) and mealworms.

They have also enjoyed ‘ daddy-long-legs ’ whilst in season,

which are easily caught of a morning on the outside of window

sills, etc.


Gould figures and describes these birds (‘ Birds of Asia,’

Yol. V.) as having black bills with fleshy brown bases, whereas

my birds have almost entirely red bills with a dash of brown on

them, which latter colour has the appearance of fading away

into red: the brown tint seemingly being a feature of the

immature bird.


My Pittas are moulting, the lighter fawn of the breast

appearing through the dull brown of the first plumage. The

whole colouring is the same as in the adult bird (as figured in

Gould’s ‘ Birds of Asia,’) except that it is altogether duller.


It will be most interesting to see whether these birds will

live well in captivity, and whether it would be possible to breed

them in an aviary given up to them only.


They are brought over alive only very rarely. For the

■edification of those who are not familiar with the characteristics

of this most beautiful family of birds, I would add that in size

and shape they are mostly about that of our Water Ouzel (or

Dipper) with the same short bobbing tail.


The Pittas are all bright and, for the most part, gorgeously

coloured birds. The Bengal Pitta has broad longitudinal stripes

of dark brown and white on the whole head and face; the back,

green ; the wings, black with two large patches of white on the

primaries; shoulders, pale blue; throat, white; breast, fawn

colour ; under tail coverts and bell}’, scarlet; upper tail coverts,

sky blue ; tail, black at base, blue at the tip. The legs are flesh-



