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primary oxlroinoly small. Tho tail is 

 short, and squaro. Tlio soxoB aro alika 

 in plumago. Thoir i)rinciplo food is 

 insects, tlioiif^li occasionally tlioy will 

 suck tho juicoH of fruits, 



Tho Family comprises ahout one 

 hundred and Rovonty species, only two 

 of which roach the Yangtse Valley. 



THE SILVER EYE. 



ZOSTfiltOPS SIMPLEX, SWINHOK. 



Description. —LonRth four and one 

 half inches. 



Green above, nock and under tail 

 covei'ts yellow. A very distinct white 

 circle around tho eye. Breast and 

 flanks f^ray. Abdomen white. Wings 

 and tail washed with {,'reen. 



Distribution.' China, generally. A 

 resident in tho Yangtse Valley. 



Nest mid Efjgs. — The nests vary 

 considerably in both size and con- 

 struction. Some are little more than 

 a frail network of fine dry grass, 

 bound together, and fastened with 

 cobwebs. Others aro quite sub- 

 stantial cups of moss, grass, and 

 roots. They are either swung in tho 

 fork of a twig, or attached to tho side 

 of a small limb. There are three or four 

 pale greenish blue eggs in a clutch. 



Notes. — This is considered tho most 

 genteel of all the Gliineso cage birds, 

 and one may usually note tlio neat 

 clothes and polite manners of tho 

 gentlemen who keep them. Their 

 song is simple hut rather soft and 

 sweet. 



In the wild they fly in small flocks 

 about the groves, and are soraetimea 

 seen holding then)selves suspended 

 from the corolla of a largo flower. 



