IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 223 



(89) THE SONG- THEUSH. 



(MEEULA MUSICA-- Linn.) 



Description.— Dark olive-brown above, including the wing-coverts, 

 the median and greater coverts tipped bright-buff ; the head slightly 

 washed with a yellowish hue ; sides of the head and neck spotted and 

 striped ; under surface of the body whitish, the throat and upper breast 

 being buff and spotted ; total length about 8 inches ; the bird is subject 

 to great variation. 



Sab.— Found everywhere in England and Scotland and through- 

 out Europe, Northern Africa and Arabia. 



(90) THE BLACK-BIED. 



(MEEULA MEEULA— (Linn.) ) 



Description. — Adult male, silky black; the wings somewhat paler ; 

 bill orange ; eyelid orange ; total length about 10 inches. The birds 

 exhibited in this garden were much paler. 



Sab. — With the exception of the extreme north it is found almost 

 all over Europe, especially in the South, North-Eastern Africa, extending 

 as far east as Persia. 



(91) THE INDIAN PITTA, OR YELLOW-BEEASTED 

 GROUND THEUSH. 



(PITTA BEACHYUEA— (Zmrc.) ) 



Hindi — Nawrang. Bengali — Shumcha. 



Description.— Head fulvous or fulvous-brown, with olive tinge; 

 a black stripe from the base of the bill to the back of the neck, meeting 

 another black band which passes through the ears ; a faint white super- 

 ciliary line extending to the nape ; the upper plumage dull bluish- 

 green ; quills black with white tips, and white bars to some of the pri- 

 maries ; a bluish patch on the shoulder ; tail black, tipped with dull 

 blue ; chin, throat, and sides of the neck, white ; the chest and the flanks 

 fulvescent ; the middle of the lower part of the abdomen, vent, and 

 the under tail-coverts scarlet ; bill black ; legs pinkish-yellow. In the 

 specimens exhibited in this garden the scarlet of the abdomen was 

 very subdued. 



Sab.— Found throughout the whole of India, common in certain 

 tracts and scarcer in others ; nowhere, however, very abundant ; scarce 

 in the delta of Bengal, where they are chiefly immigrants. Common 

 in the Central Provinces and Southern India. The pitta is also found 

 in Ceylon. 



Length of life in captivity. 



The longest period during which an Indian pitta has lived in the 

 garden has been about four years. 



