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492 Birds of Celebes: Zosteropidae. 



Measurements. Wing 53 — 55 mm; tail 37; bill from feathers of forehead 9 — 9.5, from anterior 



edge of nostril 6.5 — 7; tarsus 16. 

 Distribution. N. Celebes: Summit-region of Mount Klabat, c. 6000 feet, Soputan Ridge, and 



crater of Mt. Masarang, Rurukan (P. & F. Sarasin); S. Celebes: Mt. Bonthain, 5000 



—6000 ft. (Everett 4, Doherty 5). 



This White-eye was discovered by the cousins Sarasin on the top of the 

 volcano Klabat, the highest mountain (6377 feet ap. de Hollander) of the Mina- 

 hassa. "We dwelt", says Dr. F. Sarasin (in lit.), "for four days in a hut on 

 the highest point, or, rather, about 30 metres below it, in order at once to obtain 

 in some measure an insight into the fauna and flora, as also into the meteoro- 

 logical conditions. The avifauna up there is scanty, just this Zosterops only peopled 

 the summit-region in numerous flocks; on all sides its bright chirping sounded 

 in the mossy bush-growths". The birds had been feeding — as shown by the 

 contents of the stomachs of four specimens sent in spirit — on large and small 

 seeds, the former apparently those of berries which had been swallowed. There 

 was no trace of insects or animal-food of any kind. This time of the year — 

 the end of September — seems to be the breeding season, the testes of the 

 males being large, though the ovaries of the females were small, as if the eggs 

 would not be laid for some time or had already been laid. It was soon after- 

 wards found by the Sarasins at other high elevations in the Minahassa, and 

 by Everett and Doherty on the Peak of Bonthain in the south. 



Zosterops sarasinorum is one of an extremely closely interconnected group 

 with the under surface of two colours (Sharpe, Cat. B. IX, 148 — section "B"), 

 yellow supraloral and frontal region, but no narrow yellow stripe along the 

 middle of the abdomen. The discrimination of the members of this group is 

 impossible to perform satisfactorily by means of descriptions alone'). The 

 species are: 



Z. palpehrosa (Vemm): India, Ceylon, Nicobars, Andamans, Laccadives; 



Z. simplex Swinh. : China; 



Z. neglecta Seeb. (Ibis 1893, 219, 258): Ea.st Java; 



Z. dtrinella Bp.: Timor; 



Z. sarasinorum M. &Wg. : Celebes; 



Z. anomala M. &Wg.: South Celebes; 



Z. ahyssinica Guerin: Abyssinia, Socotra; 



Z. poliogaster Heugl.: N.E. and S.E. Africa; 



Z. avjuanensis E. Newt.: Comoro group; 



Z. demeryi Biittik. (Notes Leyd. Mus. 1890, 202): Liberia; 



'; The matter would be rendered easier if ornithologists could be induced to adopt some fixed nomen- 

 clature of colours. Dr. Sharpe speaks of the upper sui-face of Z. palpebrosa as "olive-yellow", Ml-. Gates 

 (Faun. B. Ind. I, 213, 214) as "golden-yellow"; Dr. Sharpe speaks of its throat as "golden-yeUow", Col. Legge 

 as "primrose-yellow", — ergo, primrose-yeUow should be the same thing as olive-yellow and the bird's back 

 and throat of the same tint! "We recommend Radde's International Colour-scale, instead of Ridg way's or 

 Saccardo's, the latter being quite insufficient. 



