Order TASSEEES.] [Fam. MELIPHAGID^K. 



ZOSTEROPS LATERALIS. 



(THE SILVER-EYE.) 



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

 Sylvia lateralis, Lath. Inch Orn. Suppl. p. lv (1801, nee Sund.). 

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

 Zosterops lateralis, Reich. Handb. Meropinse, p. 94, t. cccclxiii. (1852). 

 Zosterops cceruleseens, 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 laterali, dorso postico et uropygio, cum tectricibus alarum laete flavicanti-olivaceis : intersca- 

 pulio scapularibusque sordide cinereis : remigibus et rectricibus brunneis, extiis dorsi colore limbatis : 

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

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

 spicue badiis : rostro saturate brunneo, mandibula 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 ; tail 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. 



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 



