PITTA ANGOLENSIS LONGIPENNIS 
279 
PITTA ANGOLENSIS LONGIPENNIS (Reichenow) 
By V. G. L. van Someren 
I wish in this short note to draw attention to this interesting 
and somewhat rare bird, in the hope that some member may 
be able to obtain specimens and forward them to the Museum. 
The true home of the Pittas is the Malay Archipelago, 
including the Islands of Borneo, New Guinea, and Sumatra, 
while certain other species have been found in India and 
Australia. 
Considerable interest was aroused when an example of a 
true Pitta was discovered in West Africa (Angola) in 1816, 
and named Pitta angolensis. 
Later on, a second species was discovered in Central Congo, 
and although referred to P. angolensis was afterwards proved 
to be a distinct species and called P. Beichenowi. 
In 1899, Alexander procured specimens of a Pitta, which 
he referred to P. angolensis, from the Nyassaland district and 
Zambezi ; but Reichenow, in working over this group, showed 
that the Eastern birds belonged to a distinct sub-species, and 
named them P. angolensis longijpennis. 
Apparently no other specimens of this Eastern form were 
collected until my collectors procured a single example in the 
great Mabira Forest of Uganda, and another specimen was 
captured in the Grand Hotel in Nairobi in 1912 ! This later 
specimen flew into the hotel one evening, and was caught ; 
unfortunately the skin was by some mistake sent to the British 
Museum. 
These birds are no doubt more plentiful than supposed ; 
but, owing to the fact that they inhabit the thick dense forests, 
they are easily overlooked. Netting them would no doubt 
give better results than shooting — as was proved to be the 
case in New Guinea. 
They lead, more or less, a terrestrial life : feeding on the 
insects which they obtain from amongst the fallen leaves. 
