Order TASSEKES.] 



[Fam. MELIPHAGIDJ5. 



ZOSTEROPS LATERALIS. 



(THE SILVER-EYE.) 



Rusty-sided Warbler^ Lath. Gen. Syn, Suppl. ii. p. 250 (1801). 

 Sylvia lateralis^ Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl. p. Iv (1801, nee Sund.). 

 Zosterops dorsalis^ Vig. & Horsf, Trans. Zool. Soc. xv. p. 235 (1826), 

 Zosterojps lateralis^ Eeich. Handb. Meropinse, p. 94, t. cccclxiii. (185! 

 Zosterops cmrulescens^ Gould, Handb. B. of Austr. i. p. 587 (1865). 

 Zosterops lateralis^ Buller, Trans. N. Z. Inst. vol. iii. p. 16 (1870). 



Native names. 



Tau-hou, Kanohi-mowhiti, Karu-patene, Karu-hiriwha, Poporohe, and Iringatau 



Ad. pileo et facie laterally dorso postico et uropygio^ cum tectricibus alarum Isete flavicanti-olivaceis : intersca- 



pulio scapularibusque sordide cinereis : remigibus et rectricibus brunneis^ extus dorsi colore limbatis : 

 regione orbitali antica nigricante, annulo opbthalmico albo : gula albida vix flavicante tincta : gutture 

 imo cinereo : abdomine medio et subcaudalibus albidis, his flavicante lavatis : corporis lateribus con- 

 spicue badiis : rostro saturate brunneo, mandibida ad basin albicante : pedibus et iride pallide brunneis. 



Adult, Crown, sides of the head^ nape^ upper surface of wings, rump, and upper tail-coverts bright 

 yellowish olive; back and scapularies cinereous tinged with green; eyes surrounded by a narrow circlet 

 of silvery- white feathers, with a line of black in front and below ; quills and tail-feathers dusky brown, 

 margined with yellowish olive; throat, fore neck, and breast greyish white, tinged more or less with 

 yellow towards the angle of the lower mandible; abdomen and under tail-coverts fulvous white; sides 

 pale chocolate-brown; lining of wings white, the edges tinged with yellow. Bill dark brown; under 

 mandible whitish at the base ; irides, tarsi, and toes light brown. Total length 5 inches ; extent of 

 wings 7-5 ; wing, from flexure, 2-5 ; tad 2; tarsus -6 ; middle toe and claw '6 ; hind toe and claw '5 ; 

 bill, along the ridge, '4, along the edge of lower mandible, '5. 



Young, The following is a description of a young bird caught in the lawn-grass on the 28th of December, 

 1869, by my son, Walter Leopold, a little boy of five summers : — Colours paler than in the adult; the 

 throat and breast pale cinereous grey ; the sides of the body fulvous brown : the white eye-circle absent, 

 the orbits being still destitute of feathers; tarsi and toes light flesh-colour; bill pale brown; rictal 

 membrane yellow. 



4 



Obs, Although I have examined a great number, I have only detected very slight variations in the plumage 

 of the adult birds. But Archdeacon Stock, of Wellington, who is a good practical ornithologist, has 

 favoured me with the following note on this subject \-^'' I saw on Friday last, November 11, at Wilkin- 

 son's -^ tea-gardens ' (Wellington), what appeared to be a new variety of the Blight-bird. The white 



circle around the eye was not so distinct ; and the head and throat were orange-coloured. 



>> 



The story of the irregular appearance of this little bird in New Zealand has for many years past 



beeo a 



extreme sou 

 north^var<^-^'^ 

 have been ab 



species. -L"" 

 and suggests 

 memory of « 



year I fi^'^t ^\ 

 jniles from V 

 and that it ^v 

 flocks had a^ 

 coast; repori 

 caught many 

 a garden bed 

 the gardens f 

 derable flock 

 tmuous, nois^ 

 on the topmc 

 rising in the 

 dispersed in 



call-birds, str 

 these watchc 

 in a flock, at 

 increased, it 

 time. They 

 more noisy i 

 preying on a 

 zone... a ^""Z 

 ^hey had coi 

 and having , 

 ^he local nei 

 During 



remarks i^./^ 

 *°» that tii, 



shrube, 



as c 



al 



eep. 



1 



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