BIRDS OF TENASSERIM. 243 



Forehead, crown, occiput, and nape a dull wood brown ; 

 feathers of the occiput much more developed than in moluc- 

 censis, and in the bird when at rest or in skins descending 1 much 

 lower on the nape than in moluccensis, and all but concealing 

 the black nuchal collar. Moreover, the brown of the head in 

 the present species extends further laterally on the sides of 

 the head behind the eye, so as to reduce the amount of black 

 on the sides of the head also. Lores, an excessively narrow 

 line over the eye; feathers at the base of the lower mandible 

 and under the eye, ear-coverts and a band extending from 

 behind these round the nape black. Chin and throat white ; 

 feathers about vent and lower tail-coverts intense crim- 

 son scarlet ; rest of lower parts rather dull buff, rather paler 

 on the lower abdomen on either side of the red, and shaded with 

 green at the sides of the breast ; entire back, upper part of rump, 

 whole of scapulars, visible portion of tertiaries and their greater 

 coverts, and the visible portions of two or three of the later se- 

 condaries and their greater coverts, dull dark grass green, not 

 quite so pure a color as in moluccensis. The whole of the lesser 

 and median wing-coverts, the lower rump, and upper tail-coverts, 

 which extend within 0*2 of the end of the tail, glistening smalt 

 blue. Primaries and their greater coverts black, most' of the 

 latter more or less overlaid at the tips with dull bluish green. 

 The primaries with an immense white band extending over 

 both webs of all but the first, beginning about the middle of the 

 first quill, and extending further and further towards the tip 

 on each succeeding primary, until at the 7th or 8th it quite 

 involves the whole tip ; secondaries black ; their greater coverts, 

 and their outer webs for about the terminal one inch, dull 

 pale greenish blue. 



346.— Pitta cuculata, Earth (29). 



Amherst; Bankasoon; Malewoon. 



A. seasonal visitant to the southern and central portions 

 of the province. 



[This species is much rarer and more of a forest bird than 

 moluccensis. Its call is similar, but not nearly so often heard ; 

 firstly because the bird is only about one-tenth as numerous, and 

 secondly because those that are there, call much less frequently. 

 These also sit about in trees a great deal, and like moluccensis are, 

 I believe, merely migrants, as I have only shot them from April 

 to July. 



I have remarked nothing special about their habits, but they 

 seem with us to cling a good deal to the coast, although I have 

 never seen them in mangrove swamps. — W. D.] 



