410 ' Mr. D. G, Elliot on the Pittidse. 



of nidification, the colour of their eggs, and their call-note there 

 is no difference whatever between them, as stated by Mr. Ramsay, 

 on the authority of Mr. Macgillivray, who observed them in 

 their native haunts. Taking all these things into considera- 

 tion, it does not seem that we are at all justified in elevating 

 the small P. strepitans into a distinct species, but that it can 

 only be regarded as a race of the well-known bird. It is by no 

 means unusual to meet with diminutive races of species with 

 which ornithologists were already well acquainted, differing in no 

 way except in size, as is the case in the present instance ; and it 

 does not appear wise to separate them specifically ; for they have 

 undoubtedly all had the same origin, the variation in size having 

 probably been produced in the course of time through the vari- 

 ous influences of food and climate, or other physical causes. I 

 should therefore regard the two forms as one species, and Mr. 

 Gould's name as a synonym of the older appellation. 



The P. krefti of Dr. Salvadori has been admitted by him 

 [supra, p. 296) to be identical with Mr. Gould's P. simillima. 



Pitta strenua, Gould, M.S. 



Through Mr. Gould's kindness I have had before me a speci- 

 men which he considers to be the type of a new species as yet 

 undescribed. In the divisions which I made of the family in 

 my ' Monograph,' this bird would be included in the fourth 

 group, subgenerically distinguished as Eryth'opitta. It very 

 closely resembles P. mackloti, and may be regarded as the New- 

 Guinea representative of that species. The only differences per- 

 ceptible are the stouter bill and especially lower mandible of 

 Mr. Gould's specimen, and but a faint trace of blue on the 

 crown of the head. The extent of white on the primaries varies 

 considerably in these birds, as they nearly all possess it in a 

 greater or less degree ; and I am inclined to believe that it 

 should not be considered in any way an indication of specific 

 value. Bills of birds constantly vary ; and it is very unsafe to 

 establish a species when the size of that feature is its chief 

 support, irrespective of any peculiarity of form. Deprived of 

 this, P. strenua can in no way be distinguished from P. mack- 

 loti ; and as we are not aware if all the Pittas from the same 



