Birds of Celebes: Zosteropidae. 487 



Variation. The specimen from Bonerate has a remarkably long tarsus. Hartert (14) con- 

 siders his specimens from the Lesser Sunda Islands "mostly distinctly larger, with 

 slightly larger beaks". 



Egg. Rounded ovate, glossless whity blue, 15 X 13 mm (S. Celebes: Ribbe & Kuhn — 

 C 7996). 



Nest. Two, South Celebes (Ribbe & Kiihn, Nrs. 1552— 53), light, shallow cup-shaped structures, 

 calling to mind the nests of Sylvia curruca and chwrea, externally of grasses, with 

 plant-wool interwoven, Hned with fine plant-fibres; size: 65 diam. X 45 mm depth, and 

 65 X 35; cup inside: -45 diam. x 30 — 35 depth. 



Distribution. South and West Celebes: — Macassar (Wallace 1, Meyer .5, Weber 10, 



P. & F. Sarasin), Maros (Guillem. 5), Bonthain Mts. (Everett 13, Doherty 



U], Sosso, S. W. Central Celebes (P. & F. Sarasin 12), West Celebes (Doherty 14); 



Bonerate Id. (P. & F. S. 12); Saleyer, Djampea and Kalao (Everett 13); Lombok 



(Wallace etc. 1, 8, 11, 13); Sumbawa (Doherty 13); Ternate (Wallace 8, Beccari 7). 



In Celebes this White-eye has as yet been recorded only from the South 

 and West, and from the islands between the South and Flores, and its peculiar 

 distribution is suggestive of its having recently spread its range by flight from 

 Lombok or Ternate. On one side it is closely related to Zosterops jiava (Horsf.) 

 of Sumatra, Java and Borneo, a species distinguishable according to Salvadori 

 (6) by its larger size, its having more yellow on the forehead, less on the upper 

 tail-coverts, the rump not brighter than the back, the black subocular streak 

 not extending so far forward, the bill small and delicate ; in the Moluccas, 

 Z. huruensis Salvad. of Burn seems from the description to be very like the 

 young Z. intermedia, differing from the adult by its duller and duskier upper- 

 and paler under-surface ; while Z. intermedia is said to differ from Z. Moris Bp. 

 of Banda. another very near ally, by being "of a greener shade, with the under- 

 parts purer and more sulphur- yellow" (Sharpe S). Zosterops hrunneicauda 

 Salvad. of Ceram Laut, Choor, and Aru is held by Hartert to differ by its 

 quite black bill and more olive flanks. 



^ * 194. ZOSTEROPS ATRIFRONS Wall. 

 Celebes Black-fronted White-eye. 



Zosterops atrifrons (1) Wall., P. Z. S. 1863, 493; (2) Finsch, Neu Guinea 1865, 164; (3) 

 Gray, HL. I, 1869, 162, Nr. 2121; (IV) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, VHI, 72, pi. IX, 

 fig. 3; (5) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1875, VH, 662; (6) Briiggem. Abh. Ver. 

 Bremen V, 1876, 74; (7) Lenz, J. f. O. 1877, 375; (8) Salvad., Oru. Pap. 11, 

 1881, 369; (9) W. Bias., J. f. 0. 1883, 125, 138; (10) Sharpe, Cat. B. IX (gen. 

 Zosterops) 1884, 176; (11) W. Bias., Ztschr. ges. Orn. 1886, 197; (12) Platen, Ge- 

 fied. Welt 1887, 206; (13) W. Bias., Ornis 1888, 594; (14) Tristr., Cat. CoU. B. 

 1889, 210; (XV) Meyer, Abb. v. Vogelskel. H, 1892, 48, pi. CLXXIH; (16) M. 

 & Wg., Abh. Mus. Dresd. 1895, Nr. 8, p. 12; (17) iid. ib. 1896, Nr. 1, p. 12; (18) 

 Hart., Nov. Zool 1897, 161. 



a. Zosterops nigrifrons fl) Hartl., J. f. 0. 1865, 22 (ex Tenim. MS. in Mus. Leyden). 



Figures and descriptions. Walden IV; Meyer AF (skeleton); Wallace 1; Hartlaub a 1; 

 Sharpe 10. 



