188 VISCOUNT AVALDEN OX THE BIEDS 



'f Pitta leucoptera, Elliot, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1861, p. 153, " Ceylon," av. juv.? 

 Brackyurus atricapillus, Elliot, Monogr. Pittida, pi. xxv. 

 Brachyums sorclidus (L. S. Miiller), EUiot, Ibis, 1870, p. 419, in pt. 



Hah. Luzon, Negros ; iris brown [Meyer). 



The synonymy of this species is somewhat perplexing, in consequence of Brisson (/. c.) 

 having given a description, applying in all its details to the Philippine bird, to an 

 individual said by him to have been sent to I'Abbe Aubrey from the Moluccas. Mont- 

 beillard [I. c.) some years later described seemingly the same bird (and it was figured 

 by D'Aubenton /. c), but attributed its origin to the Philippines. The difficulty thus 

 caused would probably have remained through all time unsolved had not Le Vaillant, by 

 one of his gi-atuitous and carping criticisms, unintentionally assisted us. With the view 

 of showing that Buffon was in the habit of describing as good species individuals that 

 had been manufactured by dishonest dealers, Le Vaillant (Ois. de Par. vol. i. p. 106) in- 

 cidentally alludes to this species. He asserts that the description given by Buffon 

 (Montbeillard) of his "Breve des Philijjpines" -w^s taken from a specimen of the '■^ Breve 

 de Ceylan" {=Corvus hrachyurus, Limi.), in which the head of the common blackbird 

 liad been substituted. This example, Le Vaillant says, formed part of the Abbe 

 Aubrey's cabinet ; and adds that he purchased it when that collection was sold, and at 

 once discovered the imposition. This story Cuvier (R. A. 1817, p. 356, note 2) repeated 

 on Le Vaillant's authority. Vieillot (Nouv. Diet. p. 358, and Tabl. Method. Orn. p. 686) 

 did the same without mentioning his authority. It remained uncontradicted until 

 Wagler [I.e.) showed that Le Vaillant was in eri'or. And Cuvier in the second edition 

 of the ' Eegne Animal ' (p. 373, note) also corrected Le Vaillant. The statement that 

 Montbeillard described from the specimen in Aubrey's cabinet may be accepted ; for it 

 is supported by the collateral evidence of Montbeillard [I. c), who, in a footnote, 

 remarks that it is the same bird that Brisson made his 57th " Grive." As no species of 

 Melanopitta is known to exist in the Moluccas, we are justified in assuming that Brisson 

 and Montbeillard described from the same, a Philippine example, and in regarding 

 their descriptions as having formed tlie common basis of all subsequent synonyms 

 applied to this Philippine form of Pitta '. 



Six species of black-headed green-bodied Pittce are fully established as meriting 

 specific distinction : — 



1. P. iiovce-guhiece, Miiller «& Schlegel. New Guinea and the Aru Islands, and 

 most of the Papuan Islands. 



2. P. sanghirana, Schlegel. Sanghii- Islands. 



3. P. rosenhergi-i, Schlegel. Soek Island in the Bay of Geelvink. 



' The title of Pitta philippensis, VieiU., is quoted by some authors ; but I cannot find that Vieillot ever 

 applied a Latin title to the species, his opinion being that Montbeillard's type was fictitious. 



