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E1JCICHLA SCHWANERI.
Walter Imp
EUCICHLA SCHWANERI.
Schwaner’s Pitta.
Pitta schwaneri, Temm. in Leyden Museum.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., tom. i. p. 256. Id. Consp. Voluc. Anisod.
1854, p. 7. no. 200.—Elliot, Mon. of Pittidse, pi. xxx —Salvad. Ucc. Born., p. 244 —Gould, Birds of
Asia, part 15.
O f the five nearly allied species Pitta cyamra, P . boschi, P . schwaneri, P . gurneyi, and P . ellioti, the last-
mentioned is the rarest. In point of beauty it is ju st intermediate between two others; for while it
wants the fiery and blue chest-markings of P . boschi it excels the P . cyamra in the rich blue of the centre
of its abdomen. The native country o f this fine bird is the island o f Borneo, where it was found by Schwaner
and Motley near Banjarmassing; and it has since been discovered in North-western Borneo by Mr. Hugh
Low, and Governor Ussher and Mr. T reacher met with the species on the Láwas river. The accompanying
Plate illustrates both sexes as accurately as may b e ; but to do more than approximate to the colouring of
these birds is out of the question—their tints being lovely in the extreme, and their iridescent hues so
surpassingly beautiful as to be inimitable in a drawing.
T he male has the crown of the head, lores, a broad stripe from the base o f the lower mandible, and
the occiput deep black, passing into rich blue where it joins the deep cinnamon-brown of the upper surface;
over each eye a broad stripe of the richest gamboge-yellow; wing-coverts black, with a large oblong mark
o f white a t the tip o f the outer web o f each feather; primaries and secondaries black ; two or three o f the
central secondaries narrowly edged with white, within which is a tinge of blue near the t ip ; chin white,
passing into rich gamboge-yellow below, and into a still richer tint of the same colour on the sides of the
n eck; below the throat-gorget, the breast and flanks are alternately barred with narrow bands of deep blue
and broader bands of gamboge-yellow, terminating on the flanks in a conspicuous patch of fine yellow;
centre of the abdomen deep b lu e ; upper and under tail-coverts and tail rich deep blue, glossed with lighter
blue on the margins o f the feathers.
T he female has the crown of the head, lores, and stripe through the eye dull black; stripe over the eye
rich orange-yellow; throat dull white, washed with orange, which deepens on the sides of the n e ck ;
primaries brown ; bands of the under surface more distinct, but of a much paler hue: in all other respects
very similar to the male.
The Plate represents the two sexes, of the size of life.