y 



244 BTKDS OF TENASSERIM. 



The following are dimensions, &c, of adult males recorded 

 in the flesh : — 



Length, 6*8 to 7*62 ; expanse, 14*5 to 15*25 ; tail from vent, 

 1-5 to 1-62; wing, 4'35 to 45 ; tarsus, 1*45 to 1*62 ; bill from 

 gape, 1"0 to 1*12 ; weight, 2' to 2*5 ozs. 



Legs and feet fleshy white ; bill black; irides dark brown. 



346 bis. — Pitta gurneyi, Hume. (62). Descr. S. F.,IIL, 

 296, PL (in.) 



Lajnah ; Palaw-ton-ton ; Bantasoon ; Malewoon. 



A seasonal visitant to the evergreen forests of the southern- 

 most portions of the province. 



[This is apparently only a migratory species in Tenasserim, 

 and occurs, so far as I have observed, only in the southern por- 

 tion of the province. Laynah was the most northern locality 

 at which I observed it, and Kenong within the estuary of the 

 Pakchan, but on the Siamese or southern side, the most southern. 



A few specimens begin to make their appearance in the forests 

 round Malewoon and Bankasoon (where my specimens were 

 mostly collected) about the 10 th or so of February; but they 

 remain scarce during February, March, and the first two weeks 

 in April. After that they become rather more numerous, and 

 continue so till the end of May, and until the regular monsoon 

 rains have set in, when they rapidly disappear, though even in 

 July a few specimens may be met with. The bird confines 

 itself to the evergreen forests, never, that I am aware, venturing 

 into the open or even into gardens. It is shy and retiring, 

 and en the slightest indication of danger hops rapidly away 

 managing generally to keep some obstacle intervening between 

 itself and the appi'oaching person. It is by no means a common 

 bird even where it does occur, and it was only by persistently 

 hunting them, and never missing an opportunity of securing 

 a bird where possible, that I and my people succeeded in getting 

 the number we did. 



Its habits are like those of other members of the genus, 

 keeping to the ground ; it feeds on snails, worms, slugs 

 and insects of all kinds. When disturbed, unless closely pressed, 

 it seldom flies, but hops rapidly away, until it gains the cover 

 of some tangled cane break or other refuge, where it remains 

 until satisfied that all danger has passed, it emerges again into 

 the more open spots. Favorite resorts are the narrow valleys 

 lying between the hills. These, though densely wooded, contain 

 little or no undergrowth. 



The note is quite that of Pitta, but yet differs notably from 

 that of the other species. When suddenly come upon or othei'- 

 wise alarmed it utters a peculiar note — a sort of kir-r-r. It has 



