132 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



diligently in search of a nest, but with no result. The bird 

 had left its nest at the first sign of danger, and, mouse -Hke, 

 run along the ground for some distance before taking to flight. 



Even on returning they will never proceed directly to the 

 the nest, but, alighting several yards from it, hop along the 

 ground, hidden by the long grass, and, guided by unerring 

 instinct, so regain the nest. An all-day hunt on the part of 

 my friend and myself resulted in the discovery of one nest 

 only, and this only by patient search. 



The calls of the male whilst in the air are of two natures — 

 one a plaintive and soft note ; the second a brisk whistle, 

 immediately following the first. 



Nest. — Small, oblong or pyriform, and side entranced ; 

 made of grass and other fine material, and suspended in 

 coarse grasses, often in growing corn. 



Eggs. — Three or four to a sitting ; pale blue, spotted with 

 reddish-brown of varying intensity. Length, 0.6 inch ; 

 breadth, 0.5 inch. 



SILYER-EYE 



(White-eye, Ring-eye, Blight-bird'), 



Zosterops Cfleriilescens, Lath. 



Zos'terops se-ro-les'ens. 

 Zoster, a girdle ; ops, an eye ; coerulescens, bluish. 

 Zosterops dorsalis, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. iv., pi. 81. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Areas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 



Key to the Species. — A ring of short white feathers round the eye ; 

 crown olive-gi-een ; back brown ; under surface not uniform ; 

 throat white, sometimes tinged with olive. 



Altogether there are 88 species of Silver-eyes known, 6 of 

 which are found in Australia. Each side of the continent 



