PITTA CÆRULEA. 
CÆRULEAN PITTA. 
Myiothera cerulea, Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. xiii. 1822, p. 301. 
Pitta gigas, Temm. Plan. Color. 1823, no. 217.— Less. Trait. Ornith. 1831, p. 394. sp. 5.—Id. Compl. Buff. 
1838, p. 501.—Müll. & Schleg. Verh. Natuur. Geschied. Neder. overz. Bezitt., Zool. Pitta, 1839-44, 
p. 14. 
Pitta cerulea, Vig. Mem. Raff. p. 659.— Gray, Gen. B. vol. i. 1846, p. 213.—Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. Asiat. Soc. 
Beng. 1849, p. 156. no. 90 (Malayan Peninsula, Sumatra).—Horsf. & Moore, Cat. B. Mus. E. Ind. 
Co. 1854, p. 181. no. 204.— Moore, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1854, p. 273 (Malacca).—Schleg. Vog. Ned. 
Ind., Pitta, 1863, pp. 2, 29, pl. i. figs. 1, 2, 3.—Id. Mus. Pays-B., Pitta, 1863, p. 1; 1874, p. 4 
(Sumatra).—Wall. Ibis, 1864, p. 108.—Hume & Dav. Str. Feath. vol. vi. 1878, p. 238 (Banka- 
soon).—Hume, Str. Feath. vol. viii. 1879, p. 94.— Gould, B. Asia, vol. v. pl. 81.—Sharpe, Proc. 
Zool. Soc. 1881, p. 798 (Borneo).—Nicholson, Ibis, 1883, p. 88 (Borneo).—Sclat. Cat. B. vol. xiv. 
1888, p. 416. 
Brachyurus caeruleus, Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. vol. xvi. 1849, p- 153.—Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. 1850, 
vol. i. p. 253. sp. 1.— Elliot, Ibis, 1870, p. 412. 
Gigantipitta cerulea, Воп. Consp. Vol. Anis. 1854, p. 7. no. 174.— Oates, В. Brit. Burm. vol. i. 1883, p. 413. 
Hydrornis cerulea, Cab. & Hein. Mus. Hein. 1859-60, pt. ii. p. 5 (Sumatra). 
Brachyurus ( Gigantipitta) cæruleus, Elliot, Mon. Pitt. 1863, pls. i. & ii. 
Brachyurus davisoni, Hume, Str. Feath. vol. iii. 1875, p. 321 (Hills dividing Siam and Tenasserim). 
Hasirat.—Tenasserim, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo. 
Male. Forehead, anterior half of crown, and a broad stripe from above and behind the eye to nape greyish 
brown, with a greenish tinge ; the feathers on forehead and sides of crown tipped with black; middle 
of crown, occiput, nape, a broad band from behind the eye down the sides of the neck, and a collar on 
the upper part of the back half encircling the neck jet-black. Back, wings, and tail cobalt-blue : 
primaries black, with a bluish tinge at their tips. Chin and upper part of throat buffy white ; side of 
neck pale fulvous brown, with an irregular imperfect collar, formed by the black bars of the feathers 
showing at this place, and giving to this part a scaly appearance. Under surface fulvous, buffy on the 
vent, and slightly tinged with greenish white on the under tail-coverts. Bill black ; iris hazel ; feet and 
tarsi dark flesh-colour. Length 11-11:62 inches, wing 6-637, tail 22-275, bill at gape 175-1776, 
tarsus 23-245. 
Female. Top of head and occiput greyish brown, tinged with rufous and closely barred with black ; stripe 
behind the eye and collar on back black; cheeks and sides of head greyish brown; back and wings 
chestnut ; lower back greenish blue; rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail cobalt-blue. Underparts as in 
the male. Wing 5:9 inches, tail 277, tarsus 23, bill 177. 
Young. Head yellowish brown, with a dark brown stripe down the centre. Back and underparts sooty 
brown; tertials the same, each feather bordered with yellow ; primaries and secondaries blackish 
brown, their outer webs dark blue. Abdomen yellowish white. Tail blue. Bill: maxilla pale brown, 
with a yellow tip; mandible yellow. Feet and tarsi flesh-colour. 
À young male was obtained by Müller and Schlegel at the base of the mountain Singaling, Sumatra, 
in a dark retired valley, covered with a thick undergrowth. It was sitting on the dead branch of a low 
tree, and not at all shy. It had not yet attained its first moult, as was indicated by the ** mellow reddish 
» 
mouth, and the peculiar softness of the feathers." These authors give the following description of this 
example :— 
“Тһе deep blue which adorns the older birds of this species was in this specimen entirely wanting, | 
p p p y g 
with the exception of a slight indication on the tail. Those portions which in the adults assume the blue 
livery, were dark yellowish brown, still darker towards the wings, and the lower parts dirty yellow, 
mixed on the breast with yellowish white and blackish brown. The sides of the head were much clearer, 
the black line behind the eye plainly perceptible, and the throat had a rose-coloured tint. The bill was 
horn-colour, almost transparent." 
