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B R A O H Y U R U S | | E rythropitta, Bon.) YENTJSTUS.
GRACEFUL PITTA.
P itta Venusta. Temm. Plan. Golov. No. 590.
P itta Venusta. Miül. and Sclileg. Vevhand. Natùuv. Gëscliied. Nedev. lnd„ p. G.
Braehyurus Venustus. Bon. Oonsp. Gen. Av., (1850,) vol. i., p. 255, sp. 1<.
Erytliropitta Venusta. Bon. Consp. voluc. Anisodact., (1854,) p. 7, No. 190.
P itta Venusta. G. R. Gray, Genera o f Birds, vol. i.
. Pr.rpureo-nigrioans ; stria postoculari utriugne protracte, tectricumque akr:;tr. matgir.ibm, fcaeruleis :
abdomiue et c r is» n l m Bostfo nigra : pedibus plumbeis.
Aoult H ail.—Head. neck, back and tad, purplish black ; throat and breast, lighter purple, a narrow azure
: stripe commencing at the back o f the eye, and running to the occiput. Thp greater wmg cpTMts are
bordered with azure, primaries black, tinder parts, bright red. Bill black, feet and tarn lead color.
AWSM FBMAI.B.—Colors less bright : upper parts o f a light purplish brown, the lines Behind the eyes yellowish
brown; greater wing corerts bordered with the same: chin and throat cinereous brown, the
ab Sm en o f a reddish brown, with a line o f purer red in the centre.
ŸotrNG.^-Like thé féihalè.
TT a rît at.—Sumatra.
Messrs. Muller and Schlegel say of this species in the Verhand. Kfatmir. Geschied. :
“ Of this elegant bird we have encountered but very few specimens, and these in the
elevated primitive woods, which cover with an almost impenetrable wilderness the
south-eastern slope of the volcanic mountains Singaling and Tendike, as well as the
wide-spread valley through which the river Anee flows.
“ It is after one of the specimens which had been shot at a height of something like
five hundred feet above the level of the sea, that the representation and description in
Temminck’s Planches Coloriées was made.
“ This species greatly resembles the Pitta Granatina of Borneo, represented in the
same Work, le ss brilliant in coloring than the last named, the P. Venusta is easily