385. PITTA STEERI (Sharpe).
STEERE’S PITTA.
- Brachyurus steerii Sharpe, Nature (1876), 14, 297; Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. (1877), 1, 329, pl. 49.
- Pitta steerii Sclater, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1888), 14, 442; Grant, Ibis (1897), 241; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 246 (habits).
- Pitta steerei Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 184.
- Pitta steeri McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 68.
Bohol (McGregor); Mindanao (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp.); Samar (Steere Exp., Whitehead).
Adult (sexes similar).—Entire head and neck and their sides black; upper parts green; rump light blue; tail and its coverts black; chin and throat white; rest of under parts light blue, except a band of velvety black down middle of breast, and the bright scarlet of crissum; thighs gray; primaries black, some of them with small white spots near the middle; secondaries green; alula and primary-coverts black; secondary-coverts shiny silvery blue. Iris brown; bill black; legs gray. Length, about 190. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 115; tail, 38; culmen from base, 26; tarsus, 42. A female measures, wing, 115; tail, 38; culmen from base, 27; tarsus, 40.
Sclater says: “It is impossible to mistake this noble species, distinguished at once by its pure white throat and silvery blue under surface.”
“The plumage of some of the young birds, being in an interesting stage of transition, is worth describing. The youngest example, a male, has the upper parts and wings like those of the adult, but the breast, sides, and flanks are of a dirty, grayish olive, only one or two of the silver-blue feathers being visible, and the entire middle of the breast and belly are pale scarlet. A rather older bird is similar to the above, but down the sides and middle of the breast are three lines of pale blue feathers. In both specimens these are being attained by molt. In the middle of the breast a tuft of the black adult feathers is making its appearance amongst the red, and some of the latter appear to be turning black without a molt. * * *.” (Grant.)
Steere’s pitta is by no means common in any of the islands where it has been found. In Bohol it was collected in forests of small trees growing on coral-limestone hills and Whitehead found the species on similar ground in Samar.