192 ZOSTEROPS ABYSSINICA. 



Begemeder, frequenting the upper branches of the olive and 

 euphorbia trees, and feeding on the fruit of the sycamore 

 and upon small insects. He likens their song to that of the 

 Willow- Warbler, and informs us that their call note is a soft 

 little chirp. 



Mr. Blanford obtained a single female specimen at Don- 

 gola in Tigre in May, and not feeling quite certain of its 

 identity suggests the name of Z. flavigula for his specimen. 



Zosterops abyssinica. 



Zosterops abyssinica, Guer. Ferr. et Gal. Voy. Abyss. Zool. p. 209, 

 pi. 9, fig. 2 (1847) ; Hartl. J. f. 0. 1865, p. 9; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. 

 ix. p. 168 (1884) ; Sbelley, B. Afr. I. No. 100 (1896) ; Tristr. Ibis, 

 1898, p. 248 Socotra Is.; Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 67 Somali; Grant, 

 Ibis, 1900, p. 144 Abyssinia. 



Adult. Similar in plumage to Z. capensis, but paler, back slightly more 

 ashy and always with a yellow patch confined to the sides of the forehead. 

 " Bill and legs greyish brown with a whitish mark at the base of the keel ; 

 iris brown " (O. Grant). Total length 4 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 2-15, 

 tail 1-7, tarsus - 7. Abyssinia (Blanford). 



The Abyssinian White-breasted White-eye ranges over 

 North-east Africa, between 5° and 16° N. lat., and extends 

 eastward to the island of Socotra. 



On Socotra, the extreme north-eastern limit of the Ethio- 

 pian region, this White-eye has been procured by Professor 

 J. B. Balfour, Dr. Riebeck, Mr. E. N. Bennett and by Messrs. 

 Forbes and O. Grant, and the latter naturalist informs us 

 that it is " fairly plentiful on all parts of Socotra, being 

 equally common in the low bush-clad valleys near the sea, 

 and at an elevation of at least 4,500 feet, where the bush 

 ceases. It was generally met with in small parties of two or 

 more, and its habits remind one strongly of the Cole-tit ; 



