THE FULVOUS PITTA. 
411 
Even when seated it appears to be unable to keep the body quiet,, but keeps 
bobbing and bowing. It always keeps its crest fully erected, and, as 
Dr. Stoliczka remarked, it looks like a gigantic Lophophaiies, Its note is 
very peculiar, and once heard not easily forgotten ; it is a sharp, clicking, 
metallic rattle. A small metal rattle made to revolve rapidly would 
produce a very similar sound. 
The food, I believe, consists entirely of insects, such as beetles &c. It 
-is almost always seen in pairs, but on two occasions I think I saw three or 
four together. 
Suborder T R A C H E O P H O N ^. 
Family PITTID^. 
Genus HYDEORNIS, Hodgs. 
382. HYDEORNIS OATESI. 
THE FULVOUS PITTA. 
Hydrornis oatesi, Hume, S. F. i. p. 477; Wald. in Bl. B. Burm. p. 98; Hume ^ 
Dav. S. F. yi. p. 237 ; Hume, 8. F. viii. p. 93. 
Description. — Male. Upper part of the head^ nape and mantle rich 
reddish brown ; cheeks, ear-coverts and the whole lower plumage pale 
reddish brown, clearest on the throat ; a black spot on either side the 
neck behind the ear-coverts not always visible ; across the breast a band 
of feathers having their bases black and showing out more or less in 
different specimens ; back, rump, upper tail-coverts and central tail- 
feathers dull green, tinged with blue on the rump and tail ; lateral tail- 
feathers greenish brown ; wings rusty, with a tinge of green on the 
secondaries and tertiaries ; upper wing -coverts greenish rusty, some of the 
feathers tipped with fulvous. 
The female is scarcely distinguishable from the male ; the back is a 
trifle less green and the tinge of blue on the rump is wanting. 
Upper mandible brown, the tip and edges salmon-colour ; lower man- 
dible brown; gape salmon- colour ; inside of mouth flesh-colour ; iris rich 
brown; eyelids plumbeous; legs and claws pinkish flesh-colour. 
Length 10 inches, tail 2-6, wing 4*8, tarsus 2*1, bill from gape 1'4. The 
female is o£ much the same size. 
I discovered this species on the Pegu hills, in the evergreen forests 
