138 JUNGLE FOLK 



the tail are bright yellow, and the remainder of the 

 lower surface of whitish hue. The most marked feature 

 of the Zosterops is a conspicuous ring of white feathers 

 round the eye, which causes the bird to look as though 

 it were wearing white spectacles. From this circle 

 the species derives its popular names, the white-eye 

 or spectacle bird. Thanks to the conspicuous eye-ring, 

 it is impossible to mistake the bird. 



All feathered creatures that go about in flocks and 

 haunt thick foliage emit unceasingly a call note, by 

 means of which the members of the flock keep in 

 touch with one another. This ceaseless cheeping note 

 is probably uttered unconsciously. Each individual 

 listens, without knowing that it is doing so, for the 

 calls of its fellows ; so long as it hears these it is 

 happy. When the main volume of the sound grows 

 faint the individual white-eye knows that his com- 

 panions are moving away from him ; he accordingly 

 flies in the direction from which their calls are coming, 

 giving vent, as he goes, to a louder cheep than usual. 

 Whenever a white-eye flies from one tree to another it 

 utters this more powerful call and thereby informs its 

 fellows that it is moving forward. This louder cry 

 stimulates the others to follow the bird that has taken 

 the lead. All the time they are thus flitting about the 

 white-eyes are busy picking tiny insects off the leaves. 

 I have never observed them eating anything but insects. 

 Legge, however, asserts that their diet is for the most 

 part frugivorous, in consequence of which the birds 

 are, according to him, very destructive to gardens, 

 picking off the buds of fruit trees, as well as attacking 



