“ At a later period we found the Pitta Irena several times near the sea-shore, on the
small island of Samaow, not far from the woods of Koepang, where it was dwelling in
lonely, wild planes, covered with timber.
“ It was not very shy, often in pairs, yet occasionally alone, and its habits corresponded
exactly with those of Pitta Cyanura, and other of its relatives.
“ Between the adult birds of both sexes, no remarkable differences exists, either as
regards their size, or in the color of their plumage.
“ In its stomach we discovered small caterpillars and other insects, principally of
the orders of Coleoptera and Diptera.”
Mi-. A. R. Wallace, who has devoted his talents and time to natural history, and
who has done much towards the elucidation of his favorite branch, ornithology, is now
travelling in the East Indies-; and, under date of April 20th, 1861, he writes to the
‘ Ibis ’ from this island of Timor.
He had been exploring the eastern portion, (opposite to that which was visited by
Messrs! Muller and Sehlegel,) and had penetrated into the mountains, passing two
weeks at an elevation of 2,000 feet.
Describing the island, he says that “ Timor seems to consist entirely of a chain of
mountains, rising in the central range to 5,000 and 6,000 feet, and near either coast to
about 3,000. In only two or three places in the island are there any level plains, the
rest being a succession of mountainous ridges and precipitous ravines. Howhere in the
island are there any forests comparable with those of the other parts of the archipelago,
all the lower hills being covered with an open growth of more or less scrubby Eucalypti,
and any thing like a lofty and luxuriant vegetation being confined to those places in the
ravines, or on the mountain spurs, where a little rich soil has been accumulated, At a
height of above 4,000 feet, even this vegetation disappears, and a scanty herbage of
coarse grasses alone covers the highest ridges. Fruit-bearing trees are comparatively
scarce, and, in the dry season, extensive tracts of country are destitute of water; circumstances
not likely to be favorable to bird life.”
Although Mr. Wallace was suceessftd in collecting many species of birds, yet he
was not fortunate enough to obtain a specimen of Pitta Irena, and says that he presumes
it inhabits the interior only.
It is now some years since Messrs; Muller and Sehlegel found this species on the
same island, and also on an adjacent one near the sea-shore, and it may be that the
Irene Pitta is not so common as in former years even in its native haunts; if it is
really so, it is much to -be regretted, if for no other reason than the deprivation of
BKACHYURTJS IRENA.
witnessing the manners and habits of so beautiful a bird, by the traveller in those distant
lands.
The specimen from which my figures were taken, is contained in the collection of
the Academy of natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and is labelled as received from
Leyden, which renders it fair to suppose, that it was one of the identical individuals
whose habits were observed by Midler and Sehlegel in their expedition to Timor, and
who obtained it at that time.
The figures are of the natural size.