PITTA CiERULEITORQUES. 
Red-headed Pitta. 
Pitta cceruleitorques, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, ix. p. 53 (1876-77). — Rowley, Ornithological Miscellany, 
part viii. (1877). 
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 Pitta in the Malayan archipelago, and shows 
how each of the species, which I consider should be kept under the heading of Enjthropitta in the present 
work, has its own separate area of distribution, however closely they may be allied as species. Thus Pitta 
celebensis is the species of Celebes, P. pa lli ceps of Siao, P. cceruleitorques of Sangi (Sanghir), P. erythro- 
gastra of the Philippines, P. cyanonota of Termite, P. rujiventris of Batchian and Gilolo, and P. mackloti 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 Salvadori, in his original description of the present species, writes as follows : — “ This species, and 
the P. erythrogastra of the Philippines, are the only two species of the subgenus Erythropitta 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 crown, 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 bv a 
well-marked black band, and by the somewhat larger dimensions.” 
Dr. Meyer obtained several examples of the blue-ringed 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 it 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 
examples for the same point of view are, amongst others, Pitta cyanonota from Ternate, and Pitta rufiventris 
from Hahnahera, in their relation to the species from the neighbouring islands (New Guinea, Celebes, the 
Sangi, and Philippine Islands). Pitta palliceps on Siao is as slightly different from Pitta celebensis 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 we 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 macfclotii. 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 in 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 band round the hind neck, another very 
