PITTA 
M A FOR BN SIS, Schlegel. 
Mafoor- Island Pitta. 
Pitta novae guinea mefoorana, Schlegel, Revue Coll. Pitta Mus. Pays-Bas, p. 8 (1874). — Meyer, in Dawson 
Rowley’s ‘ Ornithological Miscellany,’ pt. vii. p. 2(18 (1877). 
This 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 Pitta, novas 
guineas. In this conclusion I am unable to agree, as it seems to me to be a thoroughly well-marked species. 
It is nearly allied to the last-mentioned bird and to Pitta rosenbergi , but is distinct from both. It is of 
about the same size, and has the colour of the chest, breast, and nape of a fine glistening greenish white, as 
it exists in P. novae guineas , but more extended, the green of the chest blending into green and blue on the 
flanks. 
Dr. Meyer did not get a Pitta on the island of Mafoor ; but the Leiden Museum possesses four specimens, 
killed there in January and February 1869 by Von Rosenberg. Dr. Beccari also managed to procure some 
examples. 
In describing the species, Professor Schlegel says that the Mafoor bird is similar to P. novae guinece, but 
has the tail-feathers more or less tipped with dirty green, the large upper tail-coverts black, 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 Salvadori during his visit to this country; and to him I have once more to 
express my great appreciation of his kindness. 
Total length 6f inches, wing 5f, tail If, tarsus If. 
I must apologize for the oversight by which the name maiforenm instead of mafoorana was printed on the 
Plate, as before I had discovered the mistake the whole impression had been printed off; and I thought it 
best in this instance to keep the name at the head of this article to harmonize it with that of the Plate, 
though I regret the lapsus calami which caused the error. 
I regret that no further information should have reached me respecting this beautiful species, which finds 
a near ally in P. novae guineas. In size it is much the same ; but the green of the under surface is suffused 
with luminous glistening green. 
