432 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



pure olivc-grecn ; shoulders and lesser wing-coverts bright 

 metallic caeriilean blue ; across the rump a band of the same 

 colour; upper tail-coverts and tail black, the latter tipped 

 with olive-green ; primaries black, becoming paler at the tips ; 

 at the base of the fourth, fifth, and sixth a small white spot ; 

 sides of the neck, throat, breast, and flanks buff; in the 

 centre of the abdomen a patch of black ; vent and under 

 tail-coverts scarlet ; irides dark brown ; bill brown ; feet 

 flesh-colour. 



The young, like those of the Kingfisher, assume the charac- 

 teristic plumage of the adult from the time they leave the 

 nest. 



Sp. 270. PITTA IRIS, Gould. 



Rainbow Pitta. 

 Pitta iris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. p. 17. 



Pitta iris, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iv. pi. 3. 



The Rainbow Pitta inhabits the Cobourg Peninsula, and 

 will doubtless, hereafter, be found to range over a great 

 portion of the northern part of the country. No further 

 account of this fine bird has been received than that it fre- 

 quents the thick " cane-beds" near the coast, through which it 

 runs with great facility, and that the boldness and richness of 

 its markings render it a most attractive object in the bush. 



Head, neck, breast, abdomen, flanks, and thighs deep 

 velvety black ; over the eye, extending to the occiput, a band 

 of ferruginous brown ; upper surface and wings golden green ; 

 shoulders bright metallic caerulean blue, bordered below with 

 lazuline blue ; primaries black, passing into ohve-broM'n at 

 their tips, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth having a spot 

 about the centre of the feather ; tail black at the base, green 

 at the tip, the former colour running on the inner web nearly 

 to the tip ; rump-feathers tinged with caerulean blue ; lower 

 part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts bright scarlet, 



