NESTS AXD EGGS OP AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 347 



FAMILY— JMELIPHAGIDuE : llONEYEATERS. 



Sub-family — Zosteropin^. 



285. ZoSTEKOi'S CCEKULESCENS, Lalhiiiii. — (360) 



WHITE EYE. 



h'lgun. — Gould; Birds of Australia, lol., vol. iv,, pi. bi. 



Rt/frciice. —Ca.1. Birds Brit Mus., vol. ix., p. 152. 



Ptcvioiis Descriptions 0/ i'^'i'S. — Gould : Birds of Australia {1848); also 

 Handbook, vol. i., p. 588 (1865) ; Potts ; Tians. New Zealand Inst., 

 vol. ii., p. 61 (1870}: Buller : Birds of New Zealand, vol. 1 , p. 8j 

 (188SJ ; North: Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 233 (i8Sg). 



Gto'jrap/iicul DixtributioH. — Qucenslaud, New South Wales, Victoria, 

 Soutli Australia and Tasmania (including islands in Bass Strait), also 

 New Zealand, Chatham Islands, Fiji, New Hebrides, aud New Caledonia. 



.Ve»/. — Cup-shaped, neat, but somewliat slight ; composed of fine 

 grass, matted outwardly witli cocoons (green aud white coloured), 

 occasionally green moss is added ; inside Imed with very fine gi'ass aud 

 a few rootlets (an example from Tasmania is entirely lined with long 

 horse-hairs) ; suspended by the rim in any convenient thick bush or low 

 tree, such as prickly acacia, coastal tea-tree ( LeptusperrnutnJ, &c. 

 Dimensions over all, 2^ to 3 inches by 2 to 2i inches in depth ; egg 

 cavity, Ij to 2 inches across by 1{ to 1^ inches deep. 



E(j(js. — Clut<;h, three to four ; roundish oval in fonu ; textiu'c very 

 tine ; siuiace slightly glossy ; colour, uniform, Ught, bluish-green. 

 Dimensions in inches of a full clutch : (1) '66 x -5, (2) -65 x -5, 

 (3) -65 X -49, (4) -64 x -48. (Plate 13.) 



Observations. — Though an orchard pest, the little White Eye is a 

 very interesting species, wliile its small shapely nest, with its beautiful 

 bluish-green eggs, are amongst the models of nidiology. 



The geogi-aphical range of the White Eye extends throughout Eastern 

 Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and other islands in the Pacific. 

 It was only in later years, or since 1856, that it became a peiinanent 

 resident in New Zealand, the bird, it is supposed, having migi^ated from 

 Australia. This imique migration on the part of the White Eyes has 

 not been satisfactoi-ily accounted for. Tliat eminent authority on New 

 Zealand omithologj', Sir Walter Buller, contends that the Wliite Eye 

 is really indigenous to the South Island. But I venture to say 

 that the evidence is against Sir Walter's theory, his great legal mind 

 notwithstanding. How is it that so many authentic field observers on 

 both islands only noted the bird for tlie first time during the winter of 

 18.56? Why, the Maories themselves call the bird "Tau-hou" which means 

 " stranger." The interesting note quoted by Sir Walter Buller, of the 

 White Eye having been seen 300 miles north of New Zealand, flying 

 about ,T ship, while several othoi-s passed over, licading northwards, proves 



