390 PITTID^E. 



dark brown, the outer webs of all the feathers broadly margined 

 with f ulvous ; sides of the head, chin, and throat rich rusty or 

 rufous ; a concealed black patch on the side of the neck ; remaining 

 lower plumage deep fulvous ; the feathers of the fore neck with 

 concealed black bases, sometimes showing through when the tips of 

 the feathers get worn. 



Female. Differs from the male in having the throat whitish and 

 the general colour of the head duller rufous. 



The young bird is blackish above, with large fulvous spots ; the 

 front of the head is tinged with pink ; the lower plumage is blackish, 

 with broad pale pink tips to all the feathers. 



Bill dusky, fleshy at the base ; legs ruddy flesh-colour ; claws 

 whitish ; iris lightish brown (Jerdori). 



Length about 10 ; tail 2-6 ; wing 4'8 ; tarsus 2-1 ; bill from 

 gape 1*4. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from Nepal to Assam and the 

 countries south of Assam to Manipur on the east and to Arrakan 

 on the west. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds during May and June, constructing a covered 

 nest of grass and leaves on the ground or on a tangled mass of 

 branches of trees a short distance above the ground. The eggs, 

 three or four in number, are white, sparingly marked with red and 

 purple, and measure about 1'2 by "95. 



This species and the next are found in dense forests on the hills 

 in the neighbourhood of water. 



928. Pitta oatesi. The Fulvous Pitta. 



Hydrornis oatesi, Hume, S. F. i, p. 477 (1873) ; Walden in Blyth's 

 Birds Burm. p. 98 ; Wardlaw Ramsay, Ibis, 1877, p. 463 ; Hume 

 f Dav. S. F. vi, p. 237 ; Hume, Cat. no. 344 bis ; Gates, B. B. i, 



p. 411 ; Salvadori, Ann. Mm. Civ. Gen. (2) v, p. 574. 

 itta oatesi (Hume], Sclater, Cat. B. M. xiv, p. 416. 



Pitta 



Coloration. Resembles P. nepalensis, but entirely wants all traces 

 of blue on the nape and hind neck. 



Upper mandible brown, the tip and edges salmon-colour ; lower 

 mandible brown; gape salmon-colour; inside of mouth flesh- 

 colour ; iris rich brown ; eyelids plumbeous ; legs and claws 

 pinkish flesh-colour. Of the same size as P. nepalensis. 



Distribution. Karennee ; Tenasserim as far south as Muleyit 

 mountain ; the evergreen forests of the hills of Pegu. 



929. Pitta caerulea. The Giant Pitta. 



Myiothera cserulea, Raffl. Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, p. 301 (1822). 

 Pitta ceerulea (Bafll.\ Blyth, Cat. p. 156 ; Horsf. $ M. Cat. i, 



p. 181 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi, p. 238 j Hume, Cat. no. 344 quart. ; 



Sciater, Cat. B. M. xiv, p. 416. 

 Brachyurus caeruleus (RaM.}, Elliot, Mon. Pitt. pis. i & ii ; id. Ibis. 



1870, p. 412. 



Brachyurus davisoni, Hume, S. F. iii, p. 321 (1875) . 

 Gigantipitta cserulea (Raffi.\ Oates, B. B. i, p. 413. 



