720 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDs. 
an ordinary Thrush’s, and their legs longer, while their 
tails are absurdly short and hardly noticeable. 
They live mostly on the ground, and do not perch 
much ; but unlike most ground birds, they never run, but 
always hop, though they get along in this manner very 
swiftly and gracefully. They are fairly good flyers, but 
usually keep low down. They seem to feed entirely on 
insects and other small animals, and they are not at all 
sociable, being usually seen alone. They do not sing, 
but their plumage is usually remarkably brilliant and 
beautiful, and shows a great variety of patterns. Their 
nests are domed and placed either on the ground or near 
it, and they lay spotted eggs. 
Tue Beneau Pirra (Pitta brachyura). This species, 
known to the natives as Nowrung or “‘ nine colours,’’ is 
the most familiar of all, being found all over India and 
Ceylon in the plains. It is to a certain extent migratory, 
going south in the winter, and returning to the northern 
provinces in the hot weather and rains, though some birds 
appear never to change their quarters. 
In colour it is green above and buff below, with the 
head broadly streaked with black and drab, the throat 
white, and a patch under the tail scarlet. On the 
shoulder of the wing, and just above the root of the very 
short tail, are patches of intense shining sky-blue, and 
the flight feathers of the wings are black with a large 
white patch, as in the House-Mynah. The bill is 
salmon-coloured and black, and the legs flesh-coloured, 
the eyes being dark brown. The cock and hen are alike,/ 
and the young closely resemble them, being merely 
