PITTA ERYTHROGASTRA. 
RED-BREASTED PPE TA. 
Pitta erythrogastra, Temm. Plan. Col. 1823, no. 212.—Steph. Shaw’s Gen. Zool. vol. xiii. 1825, p. 185. sp. 15. 
— Less. Trait. Ornith. 1831, р. 394. sp. 6.—Müll. & Schleg. Verh. Natuur. Geschied. Neder, 
overz. Bezitt., Zool. Pitta, 1839-44, p. 18.—Gray, Gen. B. vol. 1. 1846, p. 213. sp. 22.— 
Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. Asiat. Soc. Beng. 1849, p. 157. sp. 909.—Schleg. Mus. Pays-B., Pitta, 
1863, p. 8; 1874, p. 12.—Wallace, Ibis, 1864, p. 106.—Everett, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, p. 948 
(Zamboanga).—Wardl.-Ramsay, Ibis, 1884, p. 334 (Manilla).—Sclat. Cat. B. vol xiv. 1888, 
p. 432.—Sharpe, Ibis, 1888, p. 200 (Palawan).— Blas. Ornis, vol. iv. 1888, pp. 601, 602, 646.— 
Id. Ibis, 1888, pp. 373, 375.—Id. Journ. für Ornit. 1890, p. 139 (Sooloo Islands).—Everett, 
Journ. Str. B. Roy. Asiat. Soc. 1889, no. 20, p. 148.— Whitehead, Ibis, 1890, p. 50 ; 1893, p. 504 
(Palawan).— Hartert, Journ. für Ornit. 1891, p. 295 (Mindoro). 
Brachyurus erythrogaster, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. vol. i. 1850, p. 255.—Elliot, Ibis, 1870, p. 417. 
Erythropitta erythrogastra, Bonap. Consp. Voluc. Anisod. 1854, p. 7.—Wald. Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. ix. 1873, 
p. 187.— d. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1877, p. 546 (Pesananca); 1878, p. 948; 1879, p. 71 (Basilan).— 
Wardl.-Ramsay, Tweed. Mem. Append. 1881, p. 657 (Mindanao and Basilan). 
Coloburis erythrogaster, Cab. & Hein. Mus. Hein. pt. ii. 1859-60, p. 5. sp. 10. 
Brachyurus (Erythropitta) erythrogastra, Elliot, Mon. Pitt. 1863, pl. xvi. 
-HanrrAT.— Philippine Islands. 
Head pale chestnut, lightest on sides of face. From each nostril a black line extends to above the eye. 
A broad band at base of neck, rump, and upper tail-coverts bright blue. Secondaries and greater 
coverts black, edged with blue; primaries black, brownish at tips, with a white spot in the centre 
on 3rd and 4th and in some specimens also on th, size of spots varying among individuals. A 
white spot also on shoulders at bend of wing. Upper part of back green. Upper part of throat 
pale rufous brown, grading into brownish-black on lower part, and becoming jet-black on the 
breast. Band across breast cobalt-blue in the centre, green on the sides. In some specimens an 
indication of a black bar mixed with green beneath the breast-band. Rest of under surface bright 
red. Tail black, apical portion dull blue. Maxilla black, tip horn-colour, mandible dark horn- 
colour ; iris hazel; feet and tarsi slate-blue. Total length 63 inches, wing 4, tail 14, culmen i, 
tarsus 13. 
The young are quite different from the adults, and are above dark brown; breast pinkish-brown, graduating 
into pale pink on the abdomen; the feathers on the neck and upper part of breast margined with 
brown; tail slate-blue; bill black, with orange-red base and tip. 
In the plumage of the sexes there does not appear to beany very appreciable difference in colour, but the 
female is somewhat less bright. 
The Red-breasted Pitta, described by Temminck seventy years ago, is a native of 
various islands in the Philippine Archipelago, and although it has been so long known to 
ornithologists, and many specimens have been obtained from time to time, little or nothing 
has been recorded of its economy or habits, and I am unable to add anything of 
consequence to the account I formerly wrote of the species. 
Mr. Whitehead obtained it in Palawan, and found it fairly common on the mountains 
inland up to 2000 feet. Тһе Sulu name for it is “ Wou-wa,” which, when whistled, 
resembles the note uttered by the bird. Specimens from the different islands do not 
seem to vary, although, as will be noticed from the description given above, the plumage 
changes greatly as the bird advances from youth to maturity. 
