PITTA USSHERI 



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Ussher's Pitta. 



Brachyurus ussheri, Sharpe, Proc. Zool. Soc. February 6, 1877. 



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It is satisfactory to naturalists to find that Governor Ussher, whose zeal in the cause of science led to the 

 discovery of so many rare and interesting birds during his residence on the west coast of Africa, has become 

 Governor of the island of Labuan, where fresh zoological fields for his energy await him. Nor has he been 

 long in reminding us of the fact ; for soon after his arrival he dispatched the trained collector hequeathed 

 to him by Mr. Hugh Low to the mainland of Borneo to search for Bulwer's Pheasant. At present this 

 collector, the identical man who obtained the original specimen of that splendid Pheasant, has not succeeded 

 in getting any more ; but amongst the birds which he brought back from the Lawas river are a second 

 species of Lobiophasis and the Pitta which forms the subject of the accompanying plate. 



Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, to whom the specimens were consigned by his friend Mr. Ussher, has named the 

 species after the latter gentleman ; and it gives me great pleasure to add my appreciation of the important 

 results contributed by His Excellency to our knowledge of birds. 



Ussher's Pitta finds its nearest ally in the Pitta venusta of Java ; but it is distinguished at once from that 

 species by its black colour, washed with purple above, as well as by the throat and chest being of this same 

 purplish black. The enamel-like blue markings on the wing are also very much larger and brighter. 



The following is a careful description of the typical example: — 



General colour above black with a distinct shade of purple everywhere, excepting on the head, which is 

 glossy black, as well as the lores and sides of the face ; from above the eye to the nape runs a distinct super- 

 ciliary streak of pointed feathers, silvery cobalt in colour, slightly shaded with purple on the hinder plumes; 

 wings blue-black, the median and greater coverts bright cobalt at the tips and on the outer webs, forming 

 an enamel-like patch on the wing ; quills black, the inner secondaries externally deep blue ; tail deep blue ; 

 throat and chest black, the latter strongly washed with purple, shading into the crimson of the breast ; rest 

 of the under surface of the body deep crimson ; thighs brown ; under wing-coverts black. 



Total length 6*8 inches ; culmen 0-85, wing 3'45, tail 13, tarsus 1*6. 



The figures in the Plate represent the old bird in two positions, as well as a nestling which I discovered 

 in mv own collection, and which doubtless belongs to this species. The figures of the adult are drawn from 

 the typical specimen. 



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