PITTA MAXIMA. 
GREAT РИТА 
Pitta marima, Müll. & Schleg. Verh. Natuur. Geschied. Ned. overz. Bezitt., Zool. Pitta, 1839-44, 
pp. 14, 20.—Gray, Gen. В. vol. i. 1846, p. 213. no. 2.—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1860, p. 351.— 
Westerm. Bijd. t. d. Dierk. 1854, Pitta, vol.i. p. 45, pl. i.—Schleg. Handl. t. d. Dierk. 1857, vol. i. 
p. 253, Aves, pl. 2. fig. 21.—Id. Vog. Ned. Ind., Pitta, 1863, pp. 4, 30, pl.i. fig. 4.—Id. Mus. 
P.-Bas, Pitta, 1863, p. 2; 1874, p. 4.—Id. Ned. Tijds. Dierk. vol. iii. 1866, p. 189.—Wall. Ibis, 
1859, p.112; 1860, p. 197; 1864, pp. 103, 105, 108.—Jerd. В. Ind. 1862, vol. i. p. 503.—Finsch, 
Neu-Guin. 1865, p. 167.—Bernst. Nat. Tijds. Dierk. vol. ii. 1865, р. 372.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. 
Gen. vol. vii. 1875, р. 77, vol. xvi. 1880, р. 184.—Id. Ornit. Papuas. vol. ii. 1881, p. 378.—Gould, 
B. N. Guin. vol. iv. pl. 27.—Legge, В. Ceylon, 1879, р. 689.—Meyer, Ibis, 1879, p. 126.—Id. Isis, 
1884, p. 43.—Sclat. Cat. В. vol. xiv. 1888, p. 419. 
Brachyurus maximus, Bon. Consp. Av. vol. i. 1850, p. 253. 
Gigantipitta maxima, Bon. Consp. Vol. Anis. 1854, p. 7. no. 177. 
Hydromis maxima, Cab. & Hein. Mus. Hein. pt. ii. 1859, p. 5. 
Brachyurus (Gigantipitta) maximus, Elliot, Mon. Pitt. 1863, pl. xii. 
Pitta gigas, Wallace, Mal. Archip. 1869, vol. ii. р. 32. 
Leucopitta maxima, Gould, Mon. Pitt. pl. 7. 
HaB:iTaT.—Halmaheira. 
Head, throat, entire upper parts, wings, and tail velvety black. Wing-coverts pale shining blue ; secondaries 
edged on outer webs with grass-green ; primaries black, with a white spot in the centre. Underparts 
pure white, except centre of abdomen and under tail-coverts, which are crimson. Bill black ; feet pale 
yellowish brown. Iris dark. Total length 11 inches, wing 5:5, tail 3, tarsus 2°5. 
There is no difference in the plumage of the sexes. 
This superb species, the largest of the family and also one of the very handsomest, 
is only met with on the great island of Halmaheira, where it is quite common. 
Mr. Wallace procured many specimens, and he says it is found only in the rocky forest of 
this mountainous island, where it hops among the crags and stones with such activity 
that it is very difficult to follow. Its large size and strongly contrasting colours of black 
and white, relieved by its blue shoulders and red abdomen, make it one of the most 
conspicuous members of the genus. Writing of this species in my ‘ Monograph’ 
published thirty years ago, I stated that I had no information regarding its economy 
or habits ; and despite the lapse of time and of the many visits paid to Halmaheira by 
both naturalists and collectors, we still remain without any more knowledge of this 
beautiful bird than we are able to gather from an inspection of the specimens in 
different collections. Other species of this family, much less conspicuous both as regards 
plumage and size, have been more fortunate and their life-history is fairly well known, 
but that of this lovely bird still remains to be written. The Malay hunters told 
Mr. Wallace that the cry of this Pitta is a plaintive whistle of three notes, the second 
lengthened out and quickly succeeding the first 
