ERYTHROPITTA C^RULEITORQUES. 
Red-headed Pitta. 
Pitta cceriileitorqiies, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov, ix. p. 53 (1876-77) — Rowley, Ornithological Miscellany, ii. 
p. 324, pi. Ixiv. (1877). — Meyer, tom. cit. p. 327. — Gould, Birds of New Guinea, part vii. (1878). 
In an interesting communication made by Dr. Meyer to Mr. Dawson Rowley’s ‘ Ornithological Miscellany ’ 
that gentleman points out the distribution of the red-breasted Pittce in the Malayan archipelago, and shows 
how each of the s])ecies which I consider should be kept under the heading of Erythropitta in the present 
work has its own separate area of distribution, however closely they may be allied as species. Thus Erythro- 
pitta celebe7isis is the species of Celebes, E. palliceps of Siao, E. cceruleitorques of Sangi (Sanghir), E. et'y- 
th-ogastra of the Philippines, E.cyanonota of Ternate, E, ofBatchian and Gilolo, and^, macMoti of 
Papua and its islands, as well as the northern part of Australia. Many other instances of a similar distri- 
bution could be brought forward. 
Count Salvador!, in his original description of the present species, writes as follows : — “ This species and 
the P. erythrogastra of the Philippines are the only species of the subgenus Et'ythropitta which have a 
blue band on the neck ; and P. cceruleitorques differs from the above-named bird principally in the more 
uniform red colour of the head, which becomes much brighter on the neck, by the absence of the two dull 
bands on the side of the ci’own, by the reddish-brown colour of the sides of the head and throat, by the 
blue colour of the breast being more extended crosswise and separated from the red of the abdomen by a 
well-marked black band, and by the somewhat larger dimensions.” 
Dr. Meyer obtained several examples of the blue-i’inged Pitta from Sangi, at Tabukan, on the north-east 
coast of the island, no difference being observable in the colour of the sexes ; and I give the following extract 
from his remarks communicated to the ‘ Ornithological Miscellany:’ — 
“ This species inhabits the largest island of the Sangi group, and is an interesting one, because it is 
more closely allied to Pitta erythrogastra from the Philippines in the north than to the two species from 
islands immediately to the south (viz. Pitta palliceps from Siao, and Pitta celebensis from Celebes), and 
therefore presents a good example of variation of species in consequence of separated insular habitat. Good 
ej^amples for the same point of view are, amongst others. Pitta cyamuota from Ternate, and Pitta rujiventris 
from Halmaliera, in their relation to the species from the neighbouring islands (New Guinea, Celebes, the 
Sangi and the Philippine Islands). Pitta palliceps on Siao is as slightly different from Pitta eelebensis on 
Celebes as Pitta cceruleitorques on Sangi is from Pitta erythrogastra on the Philippines. That insular 
separation is a reason for such variations is not to be doubted, in my opinion ; nevertheless we cannot 
examine this subject more closely at present. Pitta celebensis, for instance, does not show the least difference 
over the whole extent of the island of Celebes. My specimens from the neighbourhood of Makassar resemble 
exactly those from Manado (nearly the north and south points of this long island) ; whereas when w'e cross 
over to the closely neighbouring island of Siao, immediately a variation appears in Pitta palliceps. Whether 
this variation has specific value or not is of no importance at all upon this part of the question. Authors 
do not agree, and never will agree, at least for some time to come : one says it has, the other says it has 
not ; but all see that a difference exists ; and this is of value, notwithstanding its smallness, because it is a 
constant one. That insular separation does not always produce constant differences is known ; and I only 
mention it here for this reason — that it refers to a closely allied species. Pitta macklotii. I got a large 
series of specimens on New Guinea in different places, viz. at Dore, Andei, Passim, Inwiorage, Rubi, and on 
the Elephant Mountains, and some on the island of Jobi in the north of Geelvink Bay. I first thought that 
the Jobi specimens differed by brighter colours in general, and noted this difference in my diary ; but now, 
in the cabinet, I do not see the slightest difference from several of the New-Guinea specimens.” 
The following description is a translation of the original one given by Count Salvadori : — 
Head above red, the latter colour perceptibly brighter towards the hind neck ; sides of head and throat 
brownish red ; a very broad patch of black on the lower throat ; a blue band round the hind neck, another 
very broad one on the breast, the latter succeeded by a band of black ; the wings, upper tail-coverts, and tail 
bluish lead-grey ; back, scapulars, and sides of breast olivaceous ; abdomen and under tail-coverts very bright 
red ; tips of the longer under tail-coverts blue ; primaries marked in the middle with a white spot ; a white 
spot near the bend of the wing ; bill and feet dusky. 
Total length 6 inches, culmen I’O, wing 4f, tail 14, tarsus |. 
I owe the opportunity of figuring this species to the kindness of two friends. Count Salvadori and Mr. 
George Dawson Rowley, both of whom lent me their specimens. 
[R. B. S.] 
