376 PITTID^E. 



Gen. Anthocincla. Biytk. 



Frontal plumes recumbent ; tail short, one half the length of the wing. 



931. Anthocincla Phayrii, Biyth, J. A. S. B. xxxi. p. 343; id., 



B. Burm. p. IOO ; Hume, Sir. F. iii. p. 109, pi. ii., et viii. p. 94 ; Hume and 

 Dav., Str. F. vi. p. 245 ; Bingham, Str. F. ix. pp. 177, 474 ; Oates, B. Br. 

 Burm. i. p. 420; Sclater, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiv. p. 413. PHAYRE'S PITTA. 



A mesial band from the forehead passing along the centre of the crown and 

 widening on the nape and entire hind neck black ; sides of the mesial band 

 fulvous brown, or light brown, each feather narrowly edged with black ; lores, 

 cheeks and ear coverts mixed rufescent brown and black ; long supercilium 

 reaching down the side of the neck white, bordered by a black line ; upper 

 plumage rufescent or clear brown ; wing coverts brown, with black subapical 

 cross bars and bright rufous tips ; tertiaries and tail duller than the back ; 

 primaries brown, broadly tipped paler and with a broad fulvous patch at the 

 base of each feather ; secondaries brown, edged with rufescent brown ; chin 

 and centre of throat white ; the sides, fulvous, margined with black ; under 

 surface of the body fulvous ; breast feathers and flanks spotted with black ; 

 legs and under tail coverts pink. 



The female is similar to the male, except that the mesial coronal streak is 

 absent and the under surface more spotted. Bill dark horn ; irides chestnut 

 brown ; legs and feet flesh colour. Female Bill horny ; irides dark brown ; 

 feet fleshy white. 



Length. -8-4 to 87 inches ; wing 3-95 to 4 ; tail 2 to 2-3 ; tarsus 1-25 ; bill 

 from gape 1*48- 



Hab. Tenasserim and the Karin hills. According to Mr. Davison this 

 species has quite the habits of a Pitta, feeding exclusively on the ground. 

 Capt. Bingham found its nests in the Thoungyen valley ; it was a compact little 

 oven-shaped nest made on the ground at the foot of a tree constructed of 

 leaves, roots and grass. The entrance was on the side looking down the steep 

 slope on which it was built. It contained four eggs, glossy white, and spotted 

 chiefly at the larger end with purplish black. 



Gen. Pitta, Vieill. 



Bill shorter than in Anthocincla, and less compressed, tail shorter, more or 

 less square, tarsus nearly always shorter than it. 



932. Pitta nipalensis, (Hodgs.), Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 214; Blyth, 

 Cat. B. Br. Mus. As. Soc. p. 156; Wallace, Ibis, 1864, p. 108 ; Gould, B. 

 Asia, vi. pi. 79. Paludicola nipalensis, Hodgs.* J. A- S. B., vi. p. 103. 

 Brachyurus nipalensis, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xvi. p. 153 ; Bp. Consp. i. p. 253; 

 Elliot, Ibis, 1870, p. 413. Hydrornis nipalensis, Jerd., B. Ind. i. p. 502, 

 No. 344; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 97; Gates, Str. F. iii. p. 337; id., B. Br. 

 Burm. i. p. 412 ; Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 93. The BLUE-NAPED PITTA. 



