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Birds of Celebes: Pittidae. 
P. celehensis is most like its nearest neighbour P.palliceps Briigg. of Siao, 
which has a much paler chestnut head, the black band below the blue pectoral 
collar absent, or nearly so, and the bill longer; P. rubrinucha Wall, of Burn 
has no black band below the blue, and also a scarlet patch on the nape. These 
three species agree in having a broad pale blue vertical stripe, but this often 
appears in specimens of P. mackloti and we find signs of it in most individuals 
of P. inspeculata and in P. cyanonota. Whether these signs are the last remnants 
of a character in process of undergoing obliteration, or whether they indicate a 
new character coming into existence — a character most advanced in develop- 
ment in the Celebes, Burn and Siao birds — may possibly be ascertained some 
day. In Pitta inspeculata we are able to point to a character which is undoubt- 
edly becoming obliterated. 
f * 110. PITTA PALLIOEPS Briigg. 
Siao Bed Pitta. 
a. Pitta celebensis pt. (1) Schl. , Mus. P.-B. Bev. Pitt. 1874, 10 (Siao). 
Pitta palliceps (1) Briiggem., Abh. Ver. Bremen 1876, V, 64, t. II, f. 7, 8, 9 (bill); (2) 
Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1876, IX, 54; (3) Meyer, Bowley’s Orn. Misc. 1877, 
II, 327, 328; (4) id., Isis, Dresden 1884, 6; (5) Sclat., Cat. B. XIV, 1888, 436; 
(Q) W. Bias., Ornis 1888, 602, 637; (7) "Whitehead, Ibis 1893, 505; (VIII) 
Elliot, Mon. Pitt. pt. V, 1895, pi. 
“Lihange mahamu”, Siao, Nat. Coll. 
Figure and descriptions. Elliott FJJJ; Briiggemann 7; Sclater 3. 
Adult. Like Pitta celebensis, but the head and neck much paler, more yellow-chestnut, not 
bordered below with black across the hind neck, the vertical stripe apparently less 
developed; the secondaries green hke the back, this colour extending half over the 
rump; the blue pectoral band not fringed below with black feathers, though the 
bases of these are black and a dark border may be seen; bill somewhat long and 
thin (Siao, 8. YD. 93: Nat. Coll. — C 12619). 
Young in first plumage. Young -Bobin- like (Phpthaca)-. above greyish ohve-brown, with a 
greenish wash on the back and wings, tail and the outer edges of some of the quills 
greyish blue; lesser wing-coverts blackish; under-parts, including sides of neck and 
breast with pale huffish centres to the feathers, creating a mottled appearance; lower 
abdomen and under tail-coverts buff; on jugulum a buff cross-patch bordered below 
with blackish; the two white specula near the carpal edge and on the quills well 
developed; both mandibles yellowish white at tip (juv. Siao, 28. YII. 93: Nat. Coll. 
— C 12621). 
Observation. In the type specimen Briiggemann makes no mention of green secondaries, 
and these, therefore, do not perhaps present a stable point of difference between this 
form and celebensis. 
Measurements. 
Wing 
Tail 
Tarsus 
Bill from 
nostrils 
a. (C 12619) ad. Siao 
103 
39 
39 
16 
h. (C 12621) juv. Siao ..." 
94 
34 
39 
12 
c. (C 13527) ad. Tagulandang, Aug. 94 
109 
40 
39 
15 
d. (C 13528) ad. Tagulandang, Aug. 94 
107 
40 
41 
16 
