ELLIOT’S ILLUSTRATIONS.
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BRAGHYURUS CYANONOTUS.
GRAY’S PITTA. -
P itta Oyanonota. G. R. Gray, Proceed. Zool. Societ., (I860,) p. 351.
Caeruleus: capite rnfo; primariis nigris, albq-punctatis: fascia pectorali cyanea ; abdomine crissoque
coccineis. Rostro nigro ; pedibus pallescentibus.
H abitat.—Ternate.
Upper .part and back o f head, reddish brown, side o f head, lighter brown j throat, blackish brown ;
back, wings, and tail, blue; upper part o f breast, light blue, bordered narrowly with.black beneath.
Primaries, black : a White spot in the centre. Entire under parts, bright red. Bill, black ; feet and
. tarsi> light brown.
Mr. G. R. Gray was the first to make known this species to Ornithologists, he receiving
the specimen in a collection sent to London by Mr. A. R. Wallace, who obtained
the bird in the island of Ternate.
It resembles somewhat the various red-breasted speeies, but is quite distinct from
them all. It is very singular how closely this particular section of this group approach
each other in their markings, for although nearly all possess the same colors, yet they
are so differently distributed as to render any one speeies distinguishable from the rest
almost at a glance.
The islands comprising the Indian Archipelago, contain a large number of the different
species composing this family, and sometimes certain ones seem to be restricted
to particular islands or portions of an island. Thus it is that, at this late day, new
species are discovered in localities which one would naturally suppose had been explored
before; and lately, by the penetrating researches of Mr. Wallace, the present
species, and an equally beautiful one from Batchian, have been added to this family.
The figures in the plate are life-size, and my drawing was colored from a water-
color of the example contained in the British Museum, sent to me by Dr. P. L. Sclater
of London, to whom I am indebted for many acts of kindness during the progress of
this work.