WHITE-EYES. 



61 



men as that owned by Mr. Humphrys, so that it is 

 quite likely that others may yet he imported. Fruit 

 and insects are. the chief articles of diet. 



CHAPTER VII. 



WH ITE=E YES (Zosierojndai). 



This group of birds has been referred to the Tits 

 (I'uridce), Honey-eaters (Meliphagidce) and Sunbirds 

 (Xi'i-fariniii/ic), but Dr. Gadow has shown that the 

 structure of the tongue removes it from the first and 

 third and from most of the forms usually included in 

 the second ; therefore it has been thought better to 

 consider Zosterops as typical of a distinct family. The 

 species are characterised by modest colouring, usually 

 olivaceous or mouse-coloured above and yellow below, 

 the eye surrounded by a conspicuous ring of white 

 feathers which induced the dealers to give them the 

 trivial name of Spectacle-Birds.* They are small, active 

 little creatures, vaguely recalling our Willow-Warbler 

 and its allies, and feeding upon insects and fruits. In 

 captivity they do well on the same treatment as that 

 provided for other delicate fruit-eating insectivors. 



Although in 1872 the Zoological Society of London 

 received six examples of the New Zealand form 

 Zost/'rops latcralis, presented by Mr. Bills in August, 

 it is unlikely that this bird, if distinct, will appeal- 

 again in the London market. The destruction of the 

 native birds by cats and other vermin imported into 

 the islands and the strict laws for the preservation of 

 such birds as have not been exterminated, militate 

 against the chance of British aviculturists seeing much 

 of this or others of the birds of New Zealand which 

 formerly were occasionally brought home. Dr. Russ 

 reg rds Z Jatcrali* as a mere synonym of Z. dorsalis, 

 but the List of the Zoological Society records both as 

 distinct species. 



THE GREY-BACKED WHITE-EYE (Zosterops ccerulescens). 



" Crown of the head, wings, and tail olive ; back 

 dark grey ; eyes surrounded by a zone of white 

 feathers, bounded in front and below with black; 

 throat, centre of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts 

 greyish white with a slight tinge of olive ; flanks light 

 chestnut brown ; upper mandible dark brown ; under 

 mandible lighter ; irides and feet, greyish brown. In 

 some specimens the throat and sides of the head are 

 Avax-yellow, and the flanks are only stained with chest- 

 nut brown." Gould. 



The sexes are said to be alike in plumage, but, from 

 what I have seen of Zosterops, I should judge that the 

 female would be slightly paler in all its hues and a 

 little smaller. According to Finsch, the female of Z. 

 lateralis is paler in the green and grey of the upper 

 parts, and I have noticed that the female of the Chinese 

 species (and I think of this bird also) showed a less 

 vivid yellow on the underparts. Without question, the 

 female has a longer bill with less arched culmen. 



Mr. Gould gives the following account of this species, 

 which I cannot do better than quote verbatim: 

 This bird is stationary in all parts of Tasmania, New 

 South Wales, and South Australia, where it is not only 

 to be met with in the forests and thickets, but also in 

 nearly every garden. It even 'builds its nests and rears 

 its young in the shrubs and rose-trees bordering the 

 walks. Among the trees of the forest the 'beautiful 

 Lepfosperm-um is the one to which at all times this 

 species evinces a great partiality. 



* This is, of course, a translation of the German name Brillenvogel. 



" Its flight is quick and darting, and when among; 

 the branches of the trees it is as active as most birds, 

 prying and searching with scrutinising care into the- 

 leaves and flowers for the insects upon which it feeds. 

 It is sometimes seen singly or in pairs, while at others, 

 it is to >be observed in great numbers, on the same or 

 neighbouring trees. It is of a familiar disposition, and 

 utters a pretty and very lively song. 



'' The ^breeding sea.son commences in September and 

 continues to January. The nest is one of the neatest 

 structures possible ; it is of a round, deep, cup-shaped 

 form, composed of fine grasses, moss, and wool, and 

 most carefully lined with fibrous roots and grasses. 

 The eggs are usually three in nu-m'ber, of a beautiful 

 uniform pale .blue, eight and a half lines long by six: 

 broad."* "Handbook Birds of Australia," Vol. I.,, 

 pp. 587-8. 



I quote the following from Campbell's " Nests and' 

 Eggs of Australian Birds," pp. 347-8: "Though an- 

 orchard pest, the little White-Eye is a very interesting 

 species, while its small shapely nest, with its beautiful 

 bluish-green eggs, are amongst ithe models of nidiology."" 



" Gould regarded it as a stationary species. I have 

 found their pretty nests in the coastal scrubs during 

 summer, while in winter the birds in small companies 

 are frequently seen darting about our gardens, where- 

 they are specially fond of the heating berries of the 

 pepper-tree (Schinns). When threading the branches, 

 feeding, a bird occasionally titters a soft, sweet, chat- 

 tering warble, as if singing inwardly, or to itself. The- 

 well-known call or alarm, note is a short, feeble, whutle- 

 like sound, often repeated. 



" While mentioning pepper-trees, I may mention that 

 my son Archie was once watching White-Eyes feeding- 

 in our tree, when a Sparrow (introduced) intruded. One 

 of the White-Eyes, with his sharp little beak, made a; 

 lunge at the Sparrow, piercing it to the heart, so that 

 it immediately fell dead beneath, and was brought to- 

 me for examination." 



"My friend Mr. Ed. D'Omibrain presented me with- 

 three White Eyes, which he trapped in his garden. 

 They are fed on ground sweet biscuit and fruit, and 

 are now thriving in the aviary with a pair of Canaries."" 



It appears that although this species is rather an 

 annoyance to fruit-growers, from its love of cherries, 

 which it probes with its sharp bill in order to feed on 

 the pulp, it is nevertheless a most valuable friend to 

 the gardener from the quantities of blight and other 

 small insect pests which it devours. 



In confinement this bird sings rather prettily ; it is- 

 easily kept, ibeing fed upon ripe orange or over-ripe 

 pears (even isweet apple), and sweet-water grapes split 

 open ; also potato chopped up with yolk of egg and' 

 any good insectivorous bird-food slightly damped. It 

 will also do< well for a time on moistened sponge cake- 

 and fruit. 



INDIAN WHITE-EYE (Zoxtrropx palpebrosus). 



In colouring it is olive-green above, the throat and. 

 fore-chest bright yellow, belly white in the middle, 

 flanks greyish, thighs and under tail-coverts yellowish, 

 bill blackish, feet leaden grey, a circle of white feathers 

 round the eve. the iris pale 'brown. Hab., India,. 

 Cevlon, and Tenasserim. 



In its wild staite this species may be seen clinging to- 

 flower-stalks, and in Ceylon is said to affect the tulip- 

 trees in the principal street of the Fort at Colombo ; 

 is feeds apparently not on the nectar of flowers, but 

 on the tiny insects which are found therein, and it is- 



* Three to four according to Campbell. 



