58 Dircftor s Anmtal Report. 



Genus ^OSTEROPS Vigors & Hoksfield. 



a'. General color above a dull yellowish olive, length 3.8. 

 Zostcrops SL))ipcn . 



a'. General color above olive green, length 4.25. Zostcrops 

 conspicillata . 



56. Zosterops semperi Hartl. ^: Finsch. ^osterops. 



General color above dull yellowish olive, scarcelv brighter on 

 the rump and upper tail coverts ; crown like the back ; in front of 

 eye a dusky spot, and below the eye a line of dusky. Length 3.8, 

 wing 2.2, culnien .45, tail 1.33, tarsus .7. Hab. Pelew Islands, 

 east and central Carolines. Rota, according to Oustalet. 



57. ^osterops conspicillata Gray. Nossac. 



DiccEVin cotnpicillaliiiii. Kittl.. Kiipf. \o\.. iS_^2, PI. 19, Fig- i. 



Zostiropi can^piciUala, Gray, Gen. B. I.". 1S4S, p. igS : Gray, Cat. B. Trop. I.sl. Pacific O., 1859, 

 p. 16; Gadow. Cat. B. Brit. Mus., t8S4, IX., p, iSj;. 



Tlie little Nossacs are one of the common species of birds on 

 Guam. They seem to be of a social nature and are usually seen in 

 flocks of from ten to twenty. Their favorite feeding grounds seem 

 to be the small Lemonceti bushes {Linovia trifoliata) that grow by 

 the roadside, and in fact in the waste places all over the island. 

 They hop about on the branches, first on one side and then on the 

 other, keenly on the lookout for insecfts, which form the principal 

 part of their food. In habits and flight they remind one very much 

 of the goldfinch, but their note, sounded usually as the}- fl}', is 

 something like that of the English sparrow, but not so loud or un- 

 pleasant. Twelve specimens were taken, all but one of which were 

 females. One nestling and three nests and eggs were .secured. 

 The measurements of half the specimens, seledled at random, are 

 given below: — 



The spread of wing is about 6.75, and the depth of the bill at 

 nostrils is about .13. The general color above is olive green vary- 

 ing to dull grayish olive, as in No. 9567 ; eyes with a ring of white, 

 bordered below by a narrow dusky line which merges into the 

 brownish gray of the hind cheeks and ear coverts ; there is also a 

 line of white extending from this eye ring to the base and around 

 the upper mandible ; throat and fore neck 3'ellowish white, becom- 

 ing a brighter yellowish on the breast and belh' ; hind cheeks, ear 

 coverts and sides of neck grayish, with a slight .shade of olive 



