White- ei/ds (Zosterops) 5 



and competed with the larger birds for mealworms, also 

 occasionally taking a liltlc seerl, which they swallowed whole. 



While the general plumage of all the species does not 

 vary much, the distinctions principally consisting of a varying 

 intensity, and placing of the brighter colour areas and lighter 

 or warmer hues of the abdominal region, and size, but there 

 are a few species which have somewhat striking variations 

 from the general pattern, and these I give below : — 



NOTICE \BLE VARIATIONS FROM THH 



COMMON colouration: viz: 



SPECIES. YELLOW, GKEKN, OLIVE, AND 



GREYS. 



fuscicapilla Crown of head black, 



hypoxanthn Ear-coverts blackish. 



siamensis Dusky spot in front of eye. 



uropygialis Head dusky, entire undersurface 



yellow. 



hrunneicauda Dusky spot in front of eye; flight 



' ' and tail feathers brown. 



semiflava Washed with reddish-brown on 



lower back and rump; primary- 

 coverts, primaries, and tail fea- 

 tbers black with yellow margins. 



mayottensis Under surface citron -yellow; flanks 



brownish-red; tail- and wing- 

 feathers blackish with jrreenish- 

 yellow margins; bill indigo-blue. 



chlorates Very similar, but with dusky spot 



in front of, and a dusky line be- 

 low the eye. 



minnta ■ Conspicuous white tuft on the flanks. 



mnnritiana Cheeks, throat and undftrparts white. 



no ring of feathers round the 

 eye, dusky spot in fi'ont of eye, 

 rump and upper tail covei'ts whitie. 



borbom'ca Slaty-grey above; no white ring 



round the eye. rump white; lar- 

 ger wing and tail feathers dusky 

 blackish. 



javanica Broad white eye-brow and white 



streak below the eye; otherwise 

 similar to fallax. 



fallax Lores and forehead white, larger 



wing- and tail-feathers dusky. 



fhiffchii Mostly ruddy -brown ; cheeks, throat, 



centres of breai^t and abdomen 

 dull ashy. • 



cinerea General colour ashy-grey; wings 



and tail brown; lores and nar- 

 row ring rouncl eye grey. 



pouapenais Earthy brown above, wings and 



tail umber-brown; eye-ring sil- 

 very grey; lores, sides of head 

 ' and unde;'parts dirty ashy -grey. 



