KLOWEKPECKERS. 



«3 



1898, when my bird sang a clear Cicada-like trill, not 

 unlike tli© performance of our GrascJiopper Warljler, 

 but less prolonged. 



Javankse VVurrK-EvE (Zoster ops japonica). 



Nearly relatetl to the preceding species, but with the 

 breast and tlanks pale cliestnutorown instead of pale 

 emuky grey. Hali., Japan only. 



iSet'bohin (" Birds <>t the Japanese Empire," p. 68) 

 says: — "The Japaiie.su White-Kye is a resident in all 

 the Japanese Islands, and i^ peculiar to Japan. It is 

 not very common in Vezzo, but was obtained at Hako- 

 dadi as long ago ius 1863." 



" The neat of the Japanese White-Eye is a beautiful 

 structure toniposed entirely of nvoss, patched outside 

 with large pieceis of liv'hen, aiul lined ir. side with horse- 

 hair. It i.s rather flat in sha|)e, a'ld is evidently a 

 ground nest." (Jouy, Proe. I'nited States Nat. Mus. 

 1883, p. 288.) Eggs in the Pryer collection are un- 

 spotted bluish white, of tlie dimensions of full-sized 

 Willow-Warbler's eggs. 



According to Russ, Miss Hagenbeck imported a single 

 e.xample of this -species ; then a pair reached the Berlin 

 Zoological Gardens in 1892; later in 1895 G. Bosz of 

 Cologne imported a great number into the trade. He 

 adds the following notes of interest to the general 

 reader : — " Professor Dr. Brauns of Tokio says that the 

 species maj- be found at all times in Central Japan, and 

 as a migrant it iksKociates especially with the swarms 

 of difi'ercnt kinds of Titjnice. This also Blakiston and 

 Pryer had maintained, as they had noticed the species 

 as a common bird in winter in the plains. " It sings," 

 writes Dr. Brauns, "if not very loud, yet charmingly, 

 and in the home is accounted one of the best and most 

 perfectly tameable household companions. Naturally 

 its upkeep requires animal matter as food, but one can 

 buy this almost anywhere in Japan as a prepared 

 mixture. The latter, I am told, is prepared mairnl.v frorc 

 crayfish — which are not eaten here — and perhaps it is as 

 near as one can get to an insectivorous food-mixture. 

 This Speotacle-bird consequently is one of the most 

 abundant cage-birds, continually offered for sale in all 

 shops, although it is not yet one of the most admired 

 of bird.s." 



It seems hardly likely that crayfish would form the 

 basis of a mixture for in.sectivorous birds ; but what 

 other traiiilation one can give to the term "river-crabs" 

 I don't know. It is far more likely that the mixture 

 consisted largely of the so-called water-boatmen to which 

 the fancy name of "dried flies" has been given by bird- 

 caterers. 



C.^PE White-Eye (Zostei-ops capcnsis). 



Above olive-green, yelIowis.h on rinnp and upper tail- 

 coverts; flights and tail-feathers brown, washed 

 externally with olive; forehead olivaceous yellow ; lores 

 black ; the usual white ring of feathers round eye; ear- 

 coverts and sides of face green ; cheeks and throat 

 bright yellow, changing to pale brown on breast and 

 abdomen; sides greyii-li, flanks fulvescent ; binder tail- 

 coverts bright yeihiw ; axillaries and under wing-coverta 

 yellowish white; bill and feet bluish-grey, the meta- 

 tarsus yellowish ; iris brownish-yellow. Female said to 

 resemble the male, probably a trifle paler and with more 

 slender bill. Hab., South Africa. 



I take the following notes on the habits of this bird 

 from Stark and Sclater's "Birds of South Africa," 

 Vol. I., p. 303: — "The common White-Eye, when not 

 breeding, is invariably in small family parties, con.sist- 

 ing of the parent-birds and the young of the prece<ling 

 season, or frequently, of .several fan'.ily parties conjoined. 

 They generally attract attention by the somewhat sharp 



'chirp' that every individual bird constantly utters 

 Ixith while feeding ajid when flying from tree to tie;;. 

 They are, as a rule, extremely tame, fee<ling undisturbed 

 within a few feet of an oljserver, diligently hunting over 

 the leaves and twigs, and peering into the blossoms .n 

 search of small liarv;e and insects, and especially of some 

 of tli/3 scale^insecta (Sr/iizoncunn). At certain seasons 

 they feed to a <»nsiderable extent onsoft fruits, apricots, 

 plums, and especially blackberries; they are fond, too, 

 of the saccharine juices of many flowers, and, in the 

 .Municii)al Gardens at Cape Town, coiisUuitly resort to 

 various favourite shrubs, notably the Au.stralian ' Jiottle- 

 brush,' for the sake of the nectar of the blossoms. From 

 constantly probing the coroIUc of flowers, the featbeifi 

 of the bead are nearly always more or less dusted over 

 with pollen, and these little birds, like the Sunbirds, 

 must play a <'<>nsiderable part in the cross-fertilization o" 

 many plants. 



" The nest is buiJt among the smaller twigs at the 

 extremity of a horizontal branch of a bush or low tree. 

 It is very small, of a shallow cup-shape, and is neatly 

 constructed of fine tendrils and moss, gJued together 

 with cobweb and frequently decorated on the outside 

 with pieces of grey lichen. The interior is lined with 

 hair. The eggs, four or five in number, are unspotted 

 pale blue. 'They measure 0.66 x 0.50. 



" Both parents incubate the eggs, which are hatched 

 at the end of ten days. The nestlings are fed on soft 

 larva', smaJl caterpillars and the saccharine juices of 

 flowers by both male and female.' 



Dr. Russ says that so far as he knows this species 

 has only once been imported, three examples having 

 reached Europe towards the beginning of 1880 ; he does 

 not seem to know what became cf them. Of course 

 there is no more reason why it should not be freely 

 imported like the Chinese and Australian species, and 

 doubtlet's one of these days some enterprising dealer 

 will bring home a number. 



Yellow White-Eye (Zostcrops Hava). 



Greenish yellow, forehead and upper tail-coverts 

 bright yellow; flights and tail-feathers blackish-brown 

 witli yellow margins; axillaries and under wing-coverts 

 white or yellowish ; body below yellow ; sides of breist 

 sumewhat dingy; bill bla-jkish ; feet lead-coloured; 

 irides brown. Female similar, but probably slightly 

 paler and with more slender bill. Hab., Sumatra, Java 

 and Borneo. 



Dr. RuSs regrets that he has been unable to discover 

 any notes on the wild life of this bird; and unfor- 

 tunately I have had no better I'jck, but there is a gre it 

 sameness in the wild life of all the species, as will be 

 seen by comparing the accounts of the preceding forms. 



In February, 1877, Ch. Jamrach imported thirteen 

 examplee of the Yellow White-Eye into the London 

 market, of whicii a pair was forwarded to Dr. Russ, 

 but arrived dead, but nevertheless were useful in estab- 

 lishing the species ; he regi-ets that he is unable to 

 say what became of the remaining examples, and since 

 tihat time no more have been imported to his know- 

 ledge, yet there is no reason why they should not 

 again appear in the market. 



FLOWER-PECKERS (Dimid,f). 



To this family the genus I'ardalotua has been referred 

 by Dr. Sharj* ; but Prof. Newton thinks th.i't, if 

 rightly placed here, the name of the family ought to 

 lie changed on tlie ground that Paidahilu'a antedates 

 rUnniin. I am afraid, if this rule were stringently 

 followed, the names of many families in the various 

 classes of animals would have to be altered. Although 

 Prof. Newton says that the Diamond-birds (Australian 



