BBACHYTTRU S (Meunopitta Bok.) NO YAE GrUINAE.
BEW-GUIME PITTA.
Brève à iète Noire. Quoy et Gaim., (nec Guv.,) Voy. Astrol., pl. 8, fig. 3.
P itta Novae Guinae. G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Societ., (1858,) p. 175, sp. 39.
P itta Novae Guinae. G. R. Gray, Gen. o f Birds, vol. i.
P itta Novae Guinae. Müll. & Schleg., Verh. Nat. Gesch. Ned. Ind., No. 21.
Brachyurus Novae Guinae. Bon. Cons. Av., (1850,) vol. i., p. 256, sp. 24.
Melanopitta Novae Guinae. Bon. Cons. Voluc. Anisodact., (1854,) p. 7, No. 197.
Obscure viridis: capite colloque nigris; tectricibus alarum viridi-cyaneis; remigibus brunneis ;
quarta, quinta et sexta tantum, albo-signatis; pectore metallice virescenti; abdomine nigro, crisso
coccineo; cauda fusco-viridi; rostro brunneo; pedibus fuscis.
H abitat.—New Guinea.
Head and neck, black; back and wings, dark green; lesser wing coverts, light blue; primaries,
dark brown, a white spot in the centre o f the 4th, 5th, and 6th; tail, brownish green; breast,
light green, with metallic reflections; abdomen, black; crissum and undertail coverts, deep red;
bill, dark brown; feet and tarsi, very light brown.
The New-Guinae Pitta was discovered by Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard during
the first voyage of the “Astrolabe;” and their type from which I took the above
description was labelled, “Triton Bay.” They state that it has also been killed on
the Bay of Dorsey, where, however, it is very rare. It was not considered by
them as a distinct species, but merely supposed to be the P. Atricapilla of Cuvier,
from which it can readily be distinguished by the entire absence of blue on the
rump, and by having a small white spot only on its primaries.
It is a rare bird; and my plate was executed in Paris, under the direction of
my friend, Mons. J. P. Yerreaux, from the type now contained in the Museum of
the Jardin des Plantes.