PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 193 



distinctive colouration also serve to render their identification 

 easy. Pittas occur all over South-eastern Asia, being most 

 numerous in the Malay Archipelago. Some species extend 

 into Australia, while one is found in Africa. They all live 

 on the ground, and are insectivorous. They can hop and run 

 well. Most species are found in thick undergrowth, and 

 many of them are more or less migratory. Only one form is 

 found in Ceylon, and it occurs only as a migrant. 



Pitta brachyura. 

 The Indian Pitta. 



Pitta brachyura (Gates, Vol. II., p. 393) ; Pitta coronata (Lego'e, 

 p. 687). t- ' V So . 



Description. — Forehead and crown yellowish-brown, divided 

 in the centre by a slightly irregular black band, running 

 back to the nape and bordered below by a narrow white 

 band over the eye ; a broad black band from the gape of the 

 bill across the face and ear coverts, merging on the nape with 

 the median black band ; a few feathers below the eye whitish ; 

 back, scapulars, and upper rump green, the upper back more 

 or less washed with light brown ; lower rump and upper 

 tail coverts shining turquoise-blue ; tail black tipped with 

 dull blue ; lesser wing coverts shining turquoise-blue with a 

 black patch where the wing joins the back ; median coverts 

 and innermost secondaries green ; greater coverts green, 

 the outer feathers washed with blue and with black bases ; 

 primary coverts black ; primaries black with grayish tips 

 and a white band across their bases ; secondaries black with 

 white tips and a broad border of bluish-green on the terminal 

 half of the outer webs ; chin, throat, and sides of neck up to 

 the black band white ; remainder of lower parts fawn colour ; 

 the middle of the abdomen, vent, and lower tail coverts 

 scarlet. 



Bill blackish, the ridge and basal part of lower mandible 

 reddish-brown ; iris dark brown ; legs and feet flesh-colour. 



Length about 7; wing 4-1 ; tail 1*7; tarsus 1*4; bill 

 from gape 1*1. 



25 6(17)21 



