II. Throat black; upper parts greenish.
A. Abdomen black.
1. Superciliary stripe chestnut.
• 2, Superciliary stripe, brown terminating in blue.
B. Abdomen red.
1. Bill moderate: black.
2. Bill stout: with base of lower mandible horn color.
SECOND GROUP.— Underparts W hite,
I. Throat, head, and entire upper parts black.
THIRD GROUP.— U nderparts V er t L ight Blue.
I. Head grey, crest reddish orange; back and tail dark blue.
FOURTH GROUP.— U nderparts R ed.
I. With postocular line.
a. Head and upper parts uniform. .
A Head and neck above red.
II. Without; postocular line.
a. Nuchal collar blue, head uniform above.
0. With brown nuchal collar, blue stripe on top of head.
y. Without nuchal collar.
1. Head and neck various.
"■ Head b,WIJ’ naPe Wsfrt Md. superciliary stripe and cheeks blue. .
2. Head and neck uniform—brown.
a- W|ngs. blue, back green, breast blue without marginal line. , ‘
Wings and back blue, breast blue margined with black beneath:
S. Throat black, head above brown, breast bine margined with black beneath.
IT F T H GROUE.— Underparts Bu c k , or Dams: B lue.
1. Head and neck above bine; back red, wing with white median stripe. .'
n. Head and neck above black, with superciliary stripe, and occiput ferrngineons; shoulders
S IX T H GROUP.— Underparts Green.
A. Head black.
a. Primaries entirely black. . .
/3. Primaries black, with broad white band......................................
y. Primaries white, tipped with dusky. . . . . .
8. Primaries brown, with small white -median patch..........................................
B. Head above brown.
B. Strepitans.
B . Goncinnvs.
B. Irma.
B. Orassirostris ?
B. Maximus.
B. Chjcmeiu
B . Venustm.
B. Granatinus.
B . M-ythrogasbra.
B. Qélébensis.
B. Ruhnnuclm.
B . Rufventris.
B. Oya/nonot/us.
B. Mackloti.
B . Banidii.
B. Forsteni.
B. At/rica/pül/us.
B. Mullen.
B. Mbvoe Guinea.
B. Cucullatus.
P I T T A .
A. Throat white; back rufous olive; tail blue.
a. Superciliary stripe bright yellow, under parts light bnf£ crossed with black lines. , . P . Oya/nma.
0. Superciliary stripe golden yellow; under parts golden yellow, crossed with blue lines . P . Sclmmeri.
7. Superciliary stripe orange, terminating in deep red; under parts blue, crossed with orange on
the s i d e s . ................................................................................................................................ P.Boschii.
I have thus included the entire family in two gênera: Brachyurus, comprising those species
with short, rounded tails; and Pitta, having tails lengthened and cuneate.
The first o f these I have divided into, six groups or sections o f the genus, corresponding
somewhat to Bonaparte’s sub-genera. I commence, then, my review o f the family, with the genus
instituted by Thunberg.
B R A O II Y 17 II V S,
WITH THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERS.
B ill stout, straight • broad a t base, apical portion curved, tip slightly emarginate j fro n ta l plumes
projecting to the opening o f the nostrils, which are anterior and exposed. Wings projecting
nearly to the end o f tail, second and th ird p rimarie s generally longest and equal. T a il ve ry short
and rounded. Tarsi ve ry long, slender, broadly scutellated. Toes long, outer one considerably
- longer than the inne r ■ hind toe v e ry long. Cflaws moderate, curved, acute; th a t o f the h in d
toe longest.
Of this genus there are twenty-eight species, varying in size, and also in color o f plumage.
They are as follows:
1. Brachyurus Caeruleus,
2. Brachyurus N epalensis,
3 . Brachyurus Cyanopterus,
4. B rachyurus A ngolensis,
5. Brachyurus Bengalensis,
Plates I. and II.
Plate III.
Plate IV.
Plate V.
Plate VI.
Pitta Maculate.. Temm. Mus. Ludg.
Brachyurus Macùlatm. Bon. Consp. Av. (1850,) vol, i p. 251, sp. 11.
Brachyurus Macidat/us. Bon. Consp. Volu. Anisod. (1854.) p. 7, No. 184.
Some specimens o f this species have stripes o f black on the feathers o f the back, wings,
and upper tail coverts; these M. Jules Verreaux thinks are characteristic o f the seasonal
and assumed with the nuptial dress.
state,