Birds of the Indian Hills 



described as a bird's imitation of human 

 laughter. Their cheerful calls are among the 

 sounds heard most often at Ootacamund and 

 Coonoor. 



The Indian white-eye (Xosterops palpebrosa) 

 is a bird that has puzzled systematists. Jerdon 

 classed it among the tits, and its habits certainly 

 justify the measure ; but later ornithologists 

 have not accepted the dictum " Manners makyth 

 bird," and have placed the white-eye among 

 the babblers. 



The white-eye is a plump little bird, con- 

 siderably smaller than a sparrow. The head 

 and back are yellowish green, becoming almost 

 golden in the sunlight. The wings and tail 

 are brown. The chin, breast, and feathers 

 under the tail are bright yellow, the abdomen 

 is white. Round the eye is a ring of white 

 feathers, interrupted in front by a black patch. 



From this ring — its most striking feature — 

 the bird has derived its name. The ring is 

 very regular, and causes the bird to look as 

 though it had been decorating its eye with 

 Aspinall's best enamel. 



White-eyes invariably go about in flocks ; 



each member of the company utters unceasingly 



a cheeping note in order to keep his fellows 

 190 



