Since my account of this species was printed I have received its eggs, accompanied by the following notes from Mr. Strange of Sydney:—
“I never saw any bird whose actions are more graceful than those of the Pitta strepitans, when seen in its native brushes, where its presence is indicated by its singular call, resembling the words ‘want a watch,’ by imitating which you can call it close to the muzzle of your gun; no sooner, however, does it commence breeding than it becomes shy and retiring, keeping out of sight in the most artful manner, moving about from place to place, and occasionally uttering its cry until it has drawn you away from the nest. The nests I have seen were placed in the spur of a fig-tree near the ground, outwardly constructed of sticks and lined with moss, leaves and fine pieces of bark; the eggs are four in number,” of a pale creamy-white marked all over with irregularly-shaped blotches of brown and deep vinous grey, the latter appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell; they are one inch and a quarter in length by seven-eighths of an inch in breadth.
| 252. Pitta Vigorsii, Gould | Vol. IV. Pl. 2. |
I regret to say that up to the present time I have not been able to obtain any information respecting this species, the specimen of which, in the Linnean Society’s Collection, is the only evidence we have of its occurring in Australia; I believe New Guinea to be its true habitat.
| 253. Pitta Iris, Gould | Vol. IV. Pl. 3. |
Genus Cinclosoma, Vig. & Horsf.
Among the novelties comprised in the present work, there are none more important than the additional members of this genus; three well-defined species being described and figured, of which only one was previously known. The form is peculiar to Australia, and is, I believe, closely allied to my genus Ianthocincla, a group of birds confined to India.
| 254. Cinclosoma punctatum, Vig. & Horsf. | Vol. IV. Pl. 4. |
| 255. Cinclosoma castanotus, Gould | Vol. IV. Pl. 5. |
| 256. Cinclosoma cinnamomeus, Gould | Vol. IV. Pl 6. |
When my drawing of this species was made, I had only seen the male; since then Captain Sturt has presented me with a female, which differs from the opposite sex in the absence of the black markings of the throat, breast and wings, which parts are brownish grey.