MELANOPITTA MAFOORANA. 
Mafo or- Island Pitta. 
Pitta novcB-giiinecB, pt,, Schlegel, Nedeii. Tijdschr. Dierk. iv. p. 16 (1871). — Rosenb. Reist. naar Geelvinksb. 
p. 36 (1875). 
Pitta novcc-guineee ma/oorana, Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Revue Pitta, p. 8 (1874). — Meyer, in Dawson Rowley’s 
Orn. Misc. p. 268 (1877). 
Pitta mafoeram, Beccari, Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, vii. p. 709 (1875). — Id. Ibis, 1876, p. 248. 
Pitta maforensis, Gould, Birds of New Guinea, part vii. (1878). 
Pitta mayforeana, Legge, Birds of Ceylon, p. 689 (1879). 
Pitta mafoorana, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. GenoA'. xvi. p. 184 (1880). — Id. Orn. della Papuasia &c. p. 386 (1881)' 
'Furs species was separated by Professor Schlegel in 1874, in his Review of the Pittas in the Leiden Museum, 
under the trinomial title above quoted ; and he apparently regards it as nothing but a race of M. novee- 
gainece. In this conclusion I am unable to agree, as it seems to me to be a thoroughly well-marked sj)ecies. 
It is nearly allied to the last-mentioned bird and to Melanopitta rosenbergi, but is distinct from both. It is 
of about the same size, and has the colour of the chest, hreast, and nape of a fine glistening greenish white, 
as it exists in 31. novcB-gulnecB , hut more extended, the green of the chest blending into green and blue 
on the flanks ; and it dififers also in having the long upper tail-coverts hlack, slightly edged with blue. 
Dr. Meyer did not get a Pitta on the island of Mafoor ; but tlie Leiden Museum possesses four specimens, 
killed there in January and February 1869 by Rosenberg, who says that it is called “Popek” by the 
natives. Dr. Beccari also managed to procure some examples. 
In describing the species, Professor Schlegel says that the Mafoor bird is similar to il/. notoB-gulnece, but 
has the tail-feathers more or less tipped with dirty green, the large upper tail-coverts hlack, with a fine 
blue edging, the smaller upper tail-coverts of a fine metallic whitish green, and the blue of the abdomen 
darker, the quills being without white spots. This constitutes, as far as I know, all that has been pub- 
lished respecting the present bird. The Plate represents a pair of these birds, of the natural size. They 
form part of the rich collections made by Dr. Beccari in New Guinea and the islands of Geelvink Bay. 
They were kindly lent to me by Count Salvador! during his visit to this country ; and to him I have once 
more to express my high aj)preciation of his kindness. 
Total length 6i inches, wing 54, tail U, tarsus 1|. 
In illustrating this species in my work on the Birds of New Guinea, I umvittingly gave the name of the 
species as Pitta maforensis ; and I am glad to he able to restore to it on the present occasion the original 
title bestowed upon it by Professor Schlegel. 
[R. B. S.] 
