S. Porter—Wanderings in the Far East



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one, the Barred Dove ( Geopelia striata), is one of the commonest birds

in the Far East, being found from India to Australia. This bird has

a very pleasant and continuous “ coo ” and is greatly appreciated as

a cage-bird by the natives of the various countries on that account,

especially by the Malays. The other is Dussumier’s Turtle Dove

(Streptelia dussumier ) which is often seen in the thick bushes and trees.

It also is often kept by the natives and differs but little from the

ordinary Eastern Turtle Dove. The Philippines are the metropolis

of the Pigeon family, no less than fifty-five various species being found

on the islands, including many very strange and very beautiful species

of which the “ Bleeding Hearts ” are perhaps the best known. There

are also some giant Fruit Pigeons which inhabit the dense forests of

some of the lesser known islands. These islands are also the home of

some of the most beautiful of the Pittas, the commonest being the

Black-headed ( Pitta sordida ) a bird which I possessed some years ago

and of which many local subspecies are found on the various islands

in the East Indies. The next commonest species is the Red-breasted

(Pitta erithrogastra) which is not to be confused with Mackot’s Pitta

which is also known as the Red-breasted and which has a wide distri¬

bution, being found in Australia, New Guinea, and various East Indian

islands. Two very distinct Pittas of large size are also found in certain

restricted areas in the Philippines, namely Kock’s Pitta (Pitta kochi)

and Steer’s Pitta (Pitta steeri). The former is clad in a plumage of the

most vivid scarlet, lilac-grey, brown, and deep blue, and, contrary to

the habits of most Pittas, is confined to tops of certain high mountains

above 6,000 feet, in districts where there is often sharp frost. This

must be the only Pitta which is confined to such a district. It is very

rare even in its native habitat and as far as I know has never been

captured alive. The other bird is even more beautiful, being a wonderful

shade of almost luminous pale blue marked with black, white, and

crimson, and is probably the most beautiful of all the Pittas. It also

is very rare and not many skins of these lovely birds are to found in

museums.


The Philippines possess many striking Woodpeckers, but I saw

only one of these, the Large-billed Pygmy Woodpecker (Dryobates

moluccemsis validirostris), a very small bird as its name would imply,



