PITTA MACKLOTII. 



(Blue-handed Pitta.) 



-♦- 



FoEEHEAD, cheeks, and cliin, vinous brown ; crown of tlie head, dark brown, with a few slight streaks of greyish blue ; occiput and back of 

 the neck, orange chestnut ; throat, brownish black, followed by a broad band of verditer blue across the chest, this is succeeded by a narrow 

 band of black ; abdomen and under tail coverts, scarlet ; upper part of the back and wings, deep olive green; upper tail coverts, upper surface 

 of tail feathers, greater wing coverts, and outer edges of secondaries, greyish blue ; spurious wing, primaries, and under surface of tail, black ; 

 a spot of white near the base of the third primary is continued across the fourth and fifth, forming a band ; under surface of wings, greyish 

 brown ; flanks, brown. 



Length, 7 inches ; wing, 4i ; tail. If ; bill, li ; tarsus. If. 



This species of Pitta is now introduced for the first time as a member of the Australian fauna. Like many other birds of 

 beautiful plumage, it is a periodical visitant at Cape York. No information accompanied the specimen, which was kindly forwarded to me by 

 Gr. Krefl't, Esq,, of the Sydney Museum, for the purpose of being figured. That gentleman informs me that the species has been known to 

 science for many years, having originally been obtained by MM. MfiUer and Macklot, naturalists to a Trench expedition, when on the coast 

 of New Gruinea, and that the same is figured in the Flanches Color es of Temminck. 



