PITTA RUBRINUCHA. 
BED-NAPED. PITTA, 
Pitta rubrinucha, Wall. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1862, p.187; 1863, p. 25 (Bouru).—Id. Ibis, 1864, p. 106.— 
Schleg. Ned. Tijdsch. Dierk. vol. iii. 1866, p. 188 (Ceram).—Id. Mus. Pays-B., Pitta, 1874, p. 12 
(Ceram).—Gould, В. N. Guin. vol. iv. pl. 35.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. vol. viii. 1876, p. 375; 
vol. xvi. 1880, p. 185.—Id. Ornit. Papuas. vol. ii. 1881, p. 393.—Sclat. Cat. B. vol. xiv. 1888, 
p. 435 (Bouru).—De Vis, Ibis, 1891, p. 35 (Exton Junction, Brit. New Guinea, 1200 feet). 
Brachyurus rubrinucha, Elliot, Mon. Pitt. 1863, pl. xviii.—Id. Ibis, 1870, p. 418. 
Pitta, spec. nov., Wallace, Malay Arch. vol. ii. 1869, p. 78. 
Hasırar.—Island of Bouru (Wallace); Ceram (von Rosenberg) ; British New Guinae (De Vis). 
Head and throat reddish-brown, greyish on the ear-coverts, and passing into blackish-brown on the fore 
neck ; а blue stripe on crown running to a square scarlet patch on the паре; upper parts dull olive- 
green. Primaries black, with a white spot on 3rd and 4th, and a white spot on the bend of the wing; 
lesser coverts edged with blue. Tail blue; breast greyish-blue, margined beneath with a narrow 
line of black ; rest of underparts bright red. Bill blackish horn-colour ; feet light bluish lead-colour ; 
iris light olive-brown. Length 7 inches, wing 32, tail 12. 
This handsome species is another member of the Pittidæ for whose discovery we 
are indebted to the efforts of Mr. A. R. Wallace, who obtained it in the island of 
Bouru, one of the Moluccas. It is perhaps nearest allied to Pitta celebensis, but can 
readily be distinguished from that species, and also from all other red-bellied Pittas, 
by the square red patch on the occiput. It seems to be fairly plentiful in Bouru, 
which, with New Guinea, thus far is the only island it is known to inhabit, unless 
it is also a native of Ceram, where, as stated by Schlegel, it was procured by von 
Rosenberg, and the specimen deposited in the Museum at Leyden. I am not aware 
that any other example has ever been taken in that island, and it might perhaps 
be imagined that some error may have been made in regard to the locality of 
Schlegel's specimen, although von Rosenberg was not опе likely to err in such a 
matter. Until the contrary is proved, we shall have to give Ceram as a possible 
habitat for the species. 
Mr. Wallace дерд the capture of the type of this Pitta in Bouru as follows :— 
“Soon after we had arrived at Waypoti, Ali had seen a beautiful little bird of the 
genus Pitta which I was very anxious to obtain, as in almost every island the species 
are different, and none were yet known from Bouru. He, and my other hunters, 
continued to see it two or three times a week, and to hear its peculiar note much 
oftener, but could never get а specimen, owing to its always frequenting the most dense 
thorny thickets, where only hasty glimpses of it could be obtained, and at so short а 
distance that it would be difficult to avoid blowing the bird to pieces. Ali was very 
much annoyed that he could not get a specimen of this bird, in going after which he 
had already severely wounded his feet with thorns, and when he had only two days 
