both webs near the tips. Primaries black, with a white spot in their centres and with greyish-white 
tips. Under wing-coverts black, with a white edging at the shoulder. Tail black, tipped with blue. 
Throat and sides of head beneath the black pure white. Underparts fawn-colour. Abdomen and 
under tail-coverts scarlet. Bill brown; feet and tarsi flesh-colour. Total length 7 inches, wing 4, 
tail 12. 
There is apparently no difference in the plumage of the sexes. 
Occasionally specimens are met with which have a black central stripe on the feathers of the back 
and wings. This peculiarity has been observed also in Pitta oreas. It is supposed to be an indication 
of the nuptial plumage, though it cannot be said that satisfactory evidence of this has yet been obtained. 
The Indian or Bengal Pitta was first described by Linnæus (l. c.), but he included in his 
synonymy the Merula viridis malaccensis of Brisson, which is quite another species with a 
black throat, the Pitta coronata of the present Monograph. Cassin, in the ‘ Proceedings of 
the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia’ for 1864, p. 250, gave Р. L. 8. Müller’s 
name of coronatus to this species, and not having access at the time to Miller’s rare work, 
I followed Cassin’s determination in the * Ibis,’ 1870. But on farther investigation it would 
appear that it is the Pitta irena of Temminck which should bear Müller’s designation, and 
not the present species, and I have therefore restored the name given by Linnæus. 
This Pitta is very common in India, being found, according to Jerdon, from the sub- 
Ilimalayan range to Cape Comorin, but never to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal. 
In the Carnatic it occurs in the hot weather when the western land-winds begin to blow, 
and the birds being of feeble flight are unable to contend against the blast and are blown 
from the eastern ghats. At such times they take refuge wherever they can find shelter, 
and the first one Jerdon saw had esconced itself in the General Hospital at Madras, and 
under similar circumstances he captured many alive at Nellore. Hume, writing on the 
migratory habits of the species, states that they arrive at Bareilly at the beginning of the 
rains, and are very common in the Dhoon. In the hot weather a few may here be 
residents. To the Berars and forests about Hoshungabad it is a regular migrant and 
straggles even into the semi-desert country of Kattiawar, Northern Guzerat, and the 
Sambhur Lake. In Oudh and Beher it comes in ml. into their northern distriets, 
and a specimen was caught in Jerdon's house at Chowringhee, Caleutta. During April, 
May, and June, from the extreme south to all suitable northern localities, it moves 
throughout the length and breadth of the country, west of the Brahmapootra, great 
numbers reaching the base of the Himalayas or sub-Himalayan ranges. 
At Mount Aboo, in Northern Guzerat, this species is very rare, according to Butler, and 
he obtained only a pair. Mr. Hume states that Dr. King also got several specimens on. 
the slopes of Aboo, but that he had seen none from any other portion of the whole region, 
though Capt. Hayes Lloyd believes he saw it in Kattiawar, and Mr. Adams heard of a 
specimen taken near Sambhur. In Khandala, 18° 40' N. lat., about forty miles in a 
Straight line south by east of Bombay, Dr. Fairbanks says there were none of this species 
in April, but before the end of May there were plenty in the valley ivest of the ** Duke's 
Nose." In the South Konkan Mr. Vidal says that this Pitta is not common, but ** solitary 
