420 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
instead of blue, and in having the lower plumage yellowish brown barred 
with black. 
Bill black ; inside of mouth dusky fleshy ; iris dark reddish brown ; 
eyelids plumbeous ; legs pinkish flesh-colour; claws whitish. 
Length 9*1 inches, tail 2'S, wing 4'5, tarsus 1'8, bill from gape 1*2. The 
female is a trifle smaller. 
Sir Arthur Phayre procured the Blue Pitta in Arrakan. I found it 
common on the Pegu hills in the evergreen forests on the eastern spurs 
between Thayetmyo and Tonghoo ; Mr. deWet sent it to me from the 
neighbourhood of Tonghoo, and Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay got it in the 
Karin hills. Mr. Davison appears to have procured it in every portion of 
the Tenasserim Division he visited as far south as Tavoy. Capt. Bingham 
found it in the Thoungyeen valley ; and in the British Museum are speci- 
mens from Siam. 
This Pitta appears to be everywhere somewhat rare. It is of a shy 
disposition, however, and may perhaps elude observation. The birds I 
had the opportunity of observing were on the ground, and they are not, 
so far as I can judge, so addicted to thick luxuriant vegetation as the other 
Pittas. 
Capt. Bingham found this bird breeding at Kaukarit in Tenasserim in 
May. The nest and eggs appear from his account to be very similar to 
those of Pitta moluccensis. 
Genus ANTHOCINCLA, BL 
391. ANTHOCINCLA PHAYEIL 
PHAYRE'S PITTA. 
Anthocincla phayrei, Bl, J.A, S. B. xxxi. p. 343 ; Hume, S. F. ill, p. 109, pi. ii. ; 
Bl. B. Burm. p. 100 ; Hume Dav. S. F. vi. p. 245 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 94 ; 
Bingham, S, F. ix. pp. 177, 474. 
Description. — Mate. A band from the forehead passing over the centre 
of the crown and expanding to cover the .nape and whole hind neck black; 
the remainder of the crown and forehead rich fulvous, each feather nar- 
rowly edged with black ; lores, cheeks and ear-coverts mixed rufous and 
black; a broad stripe from the eye over the ear-coverts, reaching well 
down the neck, white, each feather margined with black ; some of the 
longer feathers, forming aigrettes, also barred with black ; the whole upper 
plumage rufous-brown ; the wing-coverts tipped broadly with fulvous and 
