PITTA. 419 



cester) ; Mindoro (Bourns d Worcester) ; Negros (Meyer) ; Palawan (Steere, 

 Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, White) ; Rom- 

 blon (McGregor)-, Samar (Whitehead) ; Semirara (Worcester); Sibuyan (Mc- 

 Cregor) ; Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino) ; Sulu (Platen) 

 Tablas (Bourns & Worcester) ; Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester). 



Adult (sexes similar). Entire head, neck, chin, and throat velvety 

 black; back and greater part of the wings green, changing with the 

 light; rump and tail-coverts shining silvery blue; tail black, tipped with 

 green; breast and sides bluish green; a large black patch on middle of 

 abdomen; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts bright red; primaries 

 white with black bases, the four or five outer ones with narrow black 

 tips; secondaries black, tipped with green on upper Surface; primary- 

 coverts and alula velvety black; lesser and median coverts shining sil- 

 very blue. Iris brown; bill black; legs and nails dirty brown. Length, 

 about 180. A male from Romblon, wing, 110; tail, 35; culmen from 

 base, 25 ; tarsus, 40. A female from Tablas, wing, 102 ; tail, 34 ; culmen 

 from base, 26; tarsus, 37. 



The amount of white on the outer primaries varies to a great extent ; 

 in females it is usually much less than in males. 



"The black-headed pitta is called Vow-ha' by the natives from its 

 note. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails very dark brown; bill 

 black. Twelve males average : Length, 169 ; wing, 103 ; tail, 39 ; culmen, 

 25; tarsus, 36; middle toe with claw, 32. Three females, length, 167; 

 wing, 100; tail, 37; culmen 7 , 25; tarsus, 36; middle toe with claw, 32." 

 (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



Whitehead secured a nest of the black-headed pitta near Paranas, 

 Samar, on June 30, 1896. The egg is thus described : 



"Shape rounded ovate. Ground-color pure white, thickly speckled 

 all over with brown and larger underlying spots of french-gray, the 

 latter being most numerous round the larger pole. Measurements 26 

 mm. by 21 mm. 



"The nest with two slightly incubated eggs (one of which was broken) 

 were brought by a native, together with the parent birds. The some- 

 what bulky nest was composed outwardly of twigs and lined with moss." 

 (Grant and Whitehead.) 



383. PITTA MULLERI (Bonaparte). 

 GREATER BLACK-HEADED PITTA. 



Brachyurus mulleri BONAPARTE, Consp. Genera Avium (1850), 1, 256. 



Pitta muelleri SCLATEE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1888), 14, 439. 



Pitta mulleri SHARPE, Hand-List (1901), 3, 183; GATES and REID, Cat. 

 Birds' Eggs (1903), 3, 228, pi. 6, fig. 18 (egg) ; McGREGOB and WOR- 

 CESTER, Hand-List (1906), 68. 



Sibutu (Everett). Borneo, Sumatra, Banka. 



"Similar to P. atricapilla, but of rather larger dimensions." (Sclater.) 



