BRACHYURUS — ■ MA CRT,OTT
lACELOI’S PITTA.
P itta Mackloti. Mull. & Schleg. Verhand. Natuur. Geschied. Neder. Ind.
P itta Mackloti. Temm. Planch. Color. 547.
P itta Mackloti. G. R. Gray, Proceed. Zool. Society, (1858,) p. 175, sp. 40.
Brachyurus Mackloti. Bon. Consp. Ay., (1850,) vol. i., p. 255, sp. 14.
Erytlvropitta Mackloti. Bon. Consp. Voluc. Anisodact.j (1854,) p. 7, No. 187.
P itta Macklott. G. R. Gray, Gen. o f Birds, vol. i.
Viridis: capite brunneo, facie fusco-violacea: gula nigra: alls, caudaque caeruleis: primariis nigris
albo-punctatis: fascia pectorali caerulea: abdomine crissoque coccineis. Rostro nigro ; pedibus pal-
lescentibus.
Habitat.—N. Guinea.
Adult, Male.—Front and top o f head blackish brown; back o f neck reddish brown; back dark green.
Throat black, cheeks brownish b la ck ; breast blue, bordered narrowly with b la ck ; wings dark blue,
primaries black, with a white spot. Tail blue; abdomen and crissum deep red. Thighs greenish, bill
b la ck ; feet and tarsi flesh-color.
Adult, Female.—Same as the male, the colors less brilliant.
The present species is closely related to the other two members of this family already
figured, namely, Brachyurus Erythrogastra and B. Celebensis; and although the
resemblance is so striking, yet it is not difficult for the ornithologist to readily distinguish
the characteristics peculiar to each.
Messrs. Muller and Schlegel discovered this bird in New Guinea, and they thus write
regarding i t : “ This species was first met with by us in the month of -July, 1828, on
the western coast of JSTew Guinea, where we have occasionally seen it on the moist
ground, which was covered with rice and fallen leaves, in the large primeval sombre
forests which thickly cover the land in the rear of Oeroe Langeroe, towards the mountain
Lamantsjieri.