Adult.— Head rufous brown; middle o f bead'and back o f neck black; white stripe from the nostrils over
the eyes to the ears; band through eyes and cheeks black. Throat white, back dark green ; smaller
wing coverts and rump light b lu e; primaries black, with a small white spot. Tail black, bordered with
blue. Breast buff; belly lighter; abdomen and crissum red. Bill Brown Feet and Tarsi flesh color.
Iris, hazel.
H abitat.— India.
Jerdon, in the tenth volume of the Literary Society of Madras, page 251, speaking
of the Bengal Pitta, under its common name of Pitta Brachyura, says: “ though by no
means common, this bird is occasionally met with in gardens and topes in the Carnatic,
as at Madras and Trichinopoly, during the cold weather only, I believe. It, however,
generally frequents high jungles, and is, therefore, more common on the West coast
than in other parts of the peninsula; I have also seen it in Goomsoor. It feeds on the
ground in small flocks generally, but not unfrequently singly, and readily perches on
being disturbed. In the few instances where I have obtained specimens, I have not
found their food to consist of ants, but of other insects chiefly coleopterous.”
Blyth in the 12th volume of the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal also writing
about this species says, u that in India it appears to be the only one which is generally
distributed. I kept a bird of this species for some time alive, but can remark little
more than that it progressed by hopping, and that it is a remarkably silent species,
though I am told it frequently utters a screeching note in the wild state.”
The Bengal Pitta is also said to perch on the topmost branches of decayed trees,
and to resori to the sides of inland streams and waters, where it sports among the shallows,
frequently wading up to its knees, which aquatic habits are indicated by the general
character of its plumage*
This species is the only one of this family which is found generally from the Himalayas
to Ceylon, even occasionally obtained near Calcutta, but is rare to the eastward of
the Bay of Bengal.
It is, however, more frequently sent in collections than any other species of Pitta,
and if the reader will cast his eye over the long list of names heading this article, he
will find that it has been known under various appellations for many years, and commented
upon by many authors.
The plate represents two adult birds of life size. The plant is the Dielytra Specta-
bilis—Remarkable Dielytra. Paxton says of it, “ that it was first made known to
Europeans by De Karamyschew, who communicated it to Linnaeus.
“ It is one of those plants of which the Chinese Mandarins are so fond, and winch
they cultivate with so much pride in their little fairy gardens. Mr. Fortune first found
it in the grotto garden on the Island of Chusan, growing among the artificial rocks near
the beautiful Weigela Rosea.
u Its Chinese name is Hong-pak Moutan Wka, or the Red and W hite Mountain
flower.”