92 DENIZENS OF THE FOREST 



feet from the nest on which it sat. It has full flute-like 

 notes which are very pleasant to the ear. 



In the Central Transvaal it is scarce, appearing only 

 as "partial migrants"; this is, however, accounted for 

 by its forest-loving disposition, natural forest being an 

 unknown quantity in the Witwatersrand area. 



It feeds on berries, wild fruits, and insects and their 

 larvae. 



WHITE-EYES. 



Turning to another Family of the Passeres widely 

 separated as far as classification goes we come to the 

 Family Zosteropidce, of which South Africa possesses four 

 species. We need only treat of the two commoner : 

 Zosterops virens (Green White-eye) and Z. capensis 

 (Cape White-eye). 



They frequent bushy country, living on the juices 

 of flowers, insects and fruit. The first-named bird is 

 grass-green above, whereas the latter is olive-green. In 

 addition the Green White-eye is yellow underneath, 

 while the " Cape " bird is light brown, only the throat 

 and under tail-coverts being yellow. They are imme- 

 diately recognisable by the white ring round the eye, 

 which has given them their trivial English name "White- 

 eye " and the Dutch " Kersoogie." 



In the Central Transvaal we found them especially 

 fond of the nectar of the ordinary eucalyptus flowers, 

 and very destructive to ripe apricots and figs. 



They build a small cup-shaped nest of fine material 

 and moss cemented together with cobweb, &c., and 

 finely lined with hair ; they lay four or five pale blue 

 eggs. 



