PASSERINE BIRDS OF CEYLON. 181 



the rictal bristles are few and small. The tongue is peculiar ; 

 according to Gadow, it is split into two and each half is broken 

 up into numerous, stiff, horny fibres, like a little brush. The 

 nostrils are covered by a large membrane and the eye is 

 surrounded by a velvety fringe of small white feathers — a very 

 characteristic mark of the famUy. The wing is short and 

 rounded ; there are ten primaries, the first being microscopic. 

 The tail is short and square, the legs and feet weak. Two 

 species occur in Ceylon, one of which is peculiar to the Island. 



Key to Ceylon Zoster opidse. 



(1) Upper plumage greenish-yeUow. 



Zosterops palpebrosa palpebrosa (Indian White-eye). 



(2) Upper plumage dark olive-green. 



Z. ceylonensis (Ceylon White-eye). 



Zosterops palpebrosa palpebrosa. 



The Indian White-eye. 



Zosterops palpebrosa (Gates, Vol. I., p. 214 ; Legge, p. 582). 



Description. — Upper plumage greenish-yellow, slightly purer 

 yellow on the forehead and upper tail coverts and on the sides 

 of the neck, where it blends into the primrose-yellow of the 

 throat and fore-neck ; wings and tail brown, edged with the 

 same greenish-yellow hue as the sides of the neck ; a ring 

 of white feathers round the eye ; lores and a small streak 

 below the eye black ; breast, abdomen, and flanks grayish- 

 white, the centre of the abdomen at times faintly washed with 

 yellow ; under tail coverts yellow ; wing -lining white. 



Bill blackish, bluish at base of lower mandible ; iris rather 

 variable, generally grayish or brownish-olive ; legs and feet 

 slate blue. 



Length 4 ' 25 ; wing 2 • 1 ; tail 1*6; tarsus * 6 ; biU from 

 gape '47. 



Distribution. — Found all over the low-country and in the 

 hills to about 4,000 feet, above which it is replaced by the 

 next species. This White-ej-e, divided into several races, 

 occurs all over India proper and in part of Upper Burma. 



