EUCICHLA ELLIOTI. 
ELLIOT PITTA, 
Pitta ellioti, Oust. Nouv. Archiv. d. Mus. tom. x. Bull. p. 101, pl. ii. (Intérieur de la Chine).—Id. Bull, 
Soc. Philom. 1878, p. 206 (2 desc.).—Gould, В. Asia, vol. v. pl. 66. 
Eucichla ellioti, Gould, Mon. Pitt. pl. 6. 
Hasırar.—Cochin China; Cambodja. 
Male. Top of head and occipital crest emerald-blue, brightest on the forehead. A broad black band goes 
from the nostrils through the eye to the nape. Back and upper tail-coverts ultramarine-blue, glossed 
with green and brown, the feathers being brown at the base, blue in the middle, and edged with green. 
Primaries dark purplish brown; outer webs of secondaries ashy brown. Tail deep ultramarine- 
blue on outer webs, the inner glossed with green. Throat pale blue, passing into whitish ; breast 
greenish ash ; rest of underparts golden yellow, barred transversely with narrow black bands; middle 
of abdomen very dark violet-blue ; lower tail-coverts black at base, passing into ultramarine-blue or 
green at their tips. Bill dark rufous brown; feet and tarsi flesh-colour. Length 62 inches, wing 4, tail 14, 
bill 2, tarsus 12. 
Female. Differs from the male in baving the top of head and nape rufous, with a pale brown superciliary 
stripe from the nostril to the nape. Throat yellowish white, becoming reddish brown on lower throat 
and sides of the neck. Back and wings greenish. 
This beautiful species was described by M. le Dr. Oustalet, aide-naturaliste of the Paris 
Museum, /. c., from a specimen of a male brought from the interior of Cochin China by 
Capt. Boussignon. Although in fine plumage Dr. Oustalet did not think that it had 
acquired its perfect dress, as some of the brown and green hues, which he considers 
indicate the livery of the immature bird, were still retained. While belonging to the 
section of long-tailed Pittas, separated from the rest of the family under the generic term 
Eucichla, it is very different from them all, and represents a thoroughly distinct species, 
It resembles somewhat E. schwaneri in its barred flanks on golden-yellow ground, and in 
the purplish spot in the centre of the abdomen, but in every other character is quite 
different. Nothing is known of its economy or habits. 
