The PITTAS, or PAINTED THRUSHES (Pittæ), constitute a family of birds nearly allied to the preceding, and remarkable for their short but powerful body, moderately long neck, large head, and long wings—in which the fourth and fifth quills exceed the rest in length—that reach to the tips of the very short, straight tail. All have unusually powerful beaks, compressed at the sides, and slightly arched at the culmen, those of some species in particular being so strong as to have occasioned Linnæus to class them with the Ravens. The foot is slender, the tarsus high, and the outer toes connected with that in the centre as far as the first joint. The plumage is thick and full, and usually glows with the most resplendent colours. Owing to the great variety of hue and difference in the shape of the beak and length of quills observable in the different members of this family, they have been necessarily subdivided, although they all nearly resemble each other in their habits and mode of life.

THE NURANG.

The NURANG of the Hindoos (Pitta Bengalensis) is blueish green upon the back, shoulders, and wing-covers; the somewhat prolonged upper tail-covers are pale blue, the chin, breast, and throat beneath the ear white; the under side is entirely brownish yellow, with the exception of a scarlet patch on the lower part of the belly and vent; a stripe that passes over the eyes is black, as well as a line over the head; a streak forming the eyebrow is white. The quills are black, tipped with white, the first six primaries being also spotted with white; the secondaries are edged with blueish green on the outer web; the tail-feathers are black, tipped with dull blue, and a brilliant azure patch decorates the region of the shoulder. The eye is nut-brown, the beak black, and the foot reddish yellow. The length of the body is seven inches, that of the wing four, and the tail measures one inch and two-thirds. The Nurang is met with throughout the whole of India and Ceylon, and in some localities is very numerous.

Plate 19, Cassell's Book of Birds

THE AZURE PITTA ____ Pitta Cyanea

about 5/8 Nat. size

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THE PULIH.