Birds of Celebes: Pittidae. 
355 
Pitta irena Temm., (1) Salvad., Orn. Pap. II, 1881, 391; (2) Sclat., Cat. B. XIY, 1888, 
427; (3) Salvad., Agg. Orn. Pap. 133 (1890); (4) Whitelid., Ibis 1893, 497. 
“Lihange”, Tagulandang, Xat. Coll. 
For further synonymy and references cf. Salvador! 1, 3. 
Figures and descriptions. Temminck a 7; Scblegel c 7; Wallace h 7; Salvador! 7, 
Sclater. h 5, 2, Whitehead 4. 
Adult. Entire head, hind neck, chin and middle of throat black; superciliary 
stripe from forehead to nape deep buff; upper surface changeable ohve-green; 
lesser wing-coverts and tail-coverts turquoise-blue; primaries black, tips 
greenish, a white speculum formed on the 2^*^ to 6*^ quills; secondaries edged ex- 
ternally with bluish green; tail black, tipped with green; under-parts deep buff, 
darker on the breast and sides; abdomen dark red, the bases of the feathers black; 
crissum and under tail-coverts more scarlet: wing 117 mm; tail 41; tarsus 39; 
bill from nostril 15.5 (ad. Tagulandang Id., Aug. 1894, 0 13526). Bill black, base of 
lower mandible horny, feet pale horn or flesh-colour, iris dark (Sula — Wallace h 2). 
Distribution. Timor (S. Muller c J); Tagulandang Id. between Celebes and Sangi (Nat. 
Coll.); Sula Besi and Sula Mangoli (Allen 5 7, [5 5, Hoedt c 5); Ternate (Bern- 
stein c 2, Bruijn 7); Boano off Ceram (Hoedt c 3, 7). (S. Muller c I states that 
he met with it also in Samao near Timor). 
This species presents another of those cases in vyhich tvyo leaders in orni- 
thology handle the same subject in different manners. The Sula bird is said 
to have a thicker, more compressed bill than that of Timor (we do not find 
that Timor birds are otherwise smaller, judging from one before us), and 
Mr. Wallace’s name crassirostris is allowed to stand for the Sula form by 
Mr. Sclater, w^hile Count Salvador! finds no sufficient grounds for its separa- 
tion as a species. It appears likely enough that the peculiarities of the Sula 
bird are not great enough to warrant its position as a distinct species, but that 
occasional individual variation connects it with Ternate and other examples. 
The occurrence of this species on Tagulandang is comparable to the presence of 
Columba alhigularis there. 
-f * 117. PITTA VIRGINALIS Hart. 
Djampea Buff-browed Pitta. 
Pitta virginalis (1) Hart., Xov. Zool. 1896, 174, 182. 
Description. Hartert, 1. c. 
Diagnosis. Differs from Pitta irena by having the deep buff superciliary stripe about twice 
as broad; the chin black for about 10 mm only as against about 25 mm mP.irena\ 
size a little smaller. 
Measurements. Wing 103—109 mm; tail 38—39; tarsus c. 38; bill from nostril c. 15 
(Hartert 7, and Q Djampea, Dec. 1895: Everett — C 14864). 
Distribution. Djampea (Everett). 
This was the only Pitta found by Mr. Everett on Djampea Island; none 
were sent from Kalao or Saleyer, where they certainly also occur. It belongs 
to the same group as P. irena of Timor and the Moluccas to Sula and Tagu- 
landang, P.concinna of Lombok and Elores, P. maria of Sumba, and P.vigorsi 
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