342 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
Genus ZOSTEEOPS, Vigors & Horsf . 
324. ZOSTEROPS PALPEBROSA. 
THE INDIAN WHITE-EYE. 
Sylvia palpebrosa, Temm. PI. Col. 293. fig. 3. Zosterops simplex, Swinhoe, 
P. Z. S. 1862, p. 317 ; Hartl. Journ. f. Orn. 1865, p. 13 ; David et Oust. Ois. 
Chine, p. 85 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 631 ; Hume, S. F. vii. p. 403. Zoste- 
rops palpebrosa, Jerd. B. Ind. ii. p. 265 ; Hartl. Journ. f. Orn. 1865, p. 14 ; 
Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 397 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 110 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. 
p. 631 ', Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 582 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 104 ; Scidly, S. F. viii. 
p. 322 ; Oates, 8. F. viii. p. 227. 
Description. — Male and female. The whole upper plumage, wing-coverts 
and sides of the head greenish yellow ; the chin and throat bright yellow ; 
breast^ abdomen and flanks greyish white; under tail- coverts yellow; 
wings dark brown edged with greenish yellow ; a ring o£ feathers round 
the eye white; feathers in front and below the eye black; tail brown^ 
narrowly margined with greenish yellow. 
Bill black ; base of lower mandible bluish grey ; irides yellowish hazel; 
feet dark plumbeous ; claws brownish horny. (Scully.) 
Length 4*2 inches, tail 1'7, wing 2'1, tarsus '6, bill from gape '55. 
The Indian White-eye is stated by Mr. Blytli to occur in Arrakan and 
Tenasserim. In Pegu, Capt. Feilden observed it at Thayetmyo, and Capt. 
Wardlaw Ramsay on the Karin hills east of Tonghoo. I procured a few 
birds of this species at Kyeikpadein, but found it rare as compared with 
the next. 
It is found throughout the Indo -Burmese countries, ranging on one 
side into China and on the other into India_, where it is spread over the 
whole peninsula and Ceylon. 
This species and the next are found in flocks or small companies, moving 
from tree to tree with a low twitter, searching for insects among the leaves 
and buds. They also carefully inspect the interior of flowers, inserting 
their bills to the very bottom for concealed insects. They are frequently 
seen in gardens where the trees are large, but they usually resort to the 
outskirts of forests and well-wooded localities. 
The nest is a small cup suspended between two twigs and made of vege- 
table fibres, grass and cobwebs. The eggs are usually two in number, 
pale blue in colour. 
Chinese birds, which were named Z. simplex by Mr. Swinhoe, have the 
upper plumage darker, almost an olive-green. The variations, however, in 
this tint are considerable, and I do not think that the Chinese bird can be 
maintained as distinct. The birds I procured in Pegu are all referable to 
Z. simplex, inasmuch as they are olive-green above. Specimens from 
Tenasserim are greenish yellow, and are referable to Z. palpebrosa. 
