PITTA ARCUATA. 
NECKLACED PITTA. 
Pitta (Phenicocichla) arquata, Gould, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser, 4, vol. vii. 1871, p. 340. 
Phenicocichla arquata, Gould, Mon. Pitt. part i. pl. 9. 
Pitta arquata, Gould, B. Asia, vol. v. p. 69. 
Pitta arcuata, Salvad. Ucc. Born. 1874, p. 241.—Sharpe, Ibis, 1879, p. 263 ; 1889, p. 441 ; 1890, pp. 281, 288, 
289 (Borneo).—Everett, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1887, p. 503 (Kina Balu). 
HanrrAT.— Borneo. 
“Forehead, lores, and throat reddish buff ; crown, nape, and breast rich rusty red ; over (but posteriorly 
to) the eye a lovely stripe of blue, as in P. granatina; a broken tooth-like bar of the same beautiful 
hue across the breast, separating the rich rusty red of the chest from the deep scarlet of the abdomen ; 
upper surface of the body and scapularies brownish olive-green ; primaries and secondaries brown, 
tinged with green ; the secondaries are also tipped with splendid blue, but not so conspicuously as in 
P. granatina ; tail blue, tinged with olive; legs and bill black. Length 6 inches, bill 1; wing 34, 
tail 14, tarsi 1."  (Gould.) 
This beautiful species, in its postocular blue stripe, resembles P. granatina, from the 
Malay Peninsula, and P. g. borneensis from Borneo, as stated by Mr. Gould in his 
description given above; but this character is also possessed by Р. venusta from Sumatra 
and P. ussheri from Borneo. However, with the exception of having the abdomen 
deep scarlet, it bears no other resemblance to any of these species, but stands quite 
by itself in its peculiar coloration. Mr. Gould procured the type from a dealer in 
London, and presumed that it was a female, which is probably an error, as there does 
not seem to be any differences in the colour of the plumage between the sexes ; it is 
more probable, from its brilliant hues and well-developed necklace, that his specimen 
represents the male bird. It is very rare in collections, but few specimens having been 
obtained. Mr. Whitehead, who, so far as I am aware, is the only European who has 
seen and procured this Pitta in its native haunts, met with it on Kina Balu, a mountain 
in Northern Borneo, at a height of from 2000 to 4000 feet, where it frequents thick 
bamboo-jungle. According to this collector, the bill is dark brown, greyish at base of 
mandible ; iris black, and legs slaty grey. Dr. Sharpe, who determined Mr. Whitehead's 
specimens, states that there is no difference in the colouring of the sexes, but the female 
has scarcely such a finely-developed necklace. 
Аз will be observed from the above account, we know but very little as yet concerning 
this bird, and specimens are among the desiderata of our collections. 
The Plate represents an adult male and female, and a young bird from Dulit Mountain, 
4000 feet. 
