MALACIROPS MAURITIANA. 205 



Malacirops mauritiana. 



Malacirops mauritiana (Gm.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 110 (1896). 

 Zosterops mauritiana, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 194 (1884) Mauritius 



Is.; Tristram, Ibis, 1887, p. 371. 

 Zosterops borbonica (nee Gm.), E. Newton, Ibis, 1861, p. 277 Mauritius. 



Adult. Above, bluish grey with the upper tail-coverts white ; quills and 

 tail darker and browner. Beneath, white, washed on the sides of the body 

 with pale chestnut shaded brown. Bill and legs dull lead colour, soles 

 yellowish ; iris bright hazel. Total length 4-4 inches, culmen 0*45, wing 

 21, tail 1-6, tarsus 075. Mauritius (Bewsher). 



Young. Similar to the adult, but differs in having the crown and back 

 of the neck washed with brown, and no brown on the sides of the breast. 

 Mauritius (Bewsher). 



The Mauritius Malacirops is confined to the island of 

 Mauritius, which is the extreme eastern limit of the Ethio- 

 pian region. 



It is nearly allied to M. borbonica, with which species it has 

 been occasionally confounded, and is still more nearly allied to 

 M. e-netvtoni, which inhabits the same island of Reunion. 



According to Dr. Hartlaub, Mr. B. Newton found the nest 

 of this species on a bough about sixteen feet from the ground. 

 It was constructed of dry grass, wool and spider's web, and 

 lined with soft fibres mixed with horsehair, and although 

 neatly and strongly constructed was so slight that the eggs 

 could be seen through the texture ; but in general appearance 

 it resembled that of our G-oldcrest. The eggs, - 68 by 046 

 inch, generally two in number, sometimes three, were of a pale 

 blue colour. 



This species must be common in most parts of Mauritius, 

 for Mr. E. Newton mentions his surprise at not meeting with 

 it during his ten days' sojourn in Savanne, the southernmost 

 district of the island. 



