492 
Birds of Celebes'. Zosteropidae. 
Measurements. Wing 53 — 55 nim; 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 Edabat, c. 6000 feet, Soputan Ridge, and 
crater of Mt. Masarang, Eurukan (P. & E. Sarasin); 8. Celebes: Mt. Bonthain, 5000 
— 6000 ft. (Everett 4, Doherty 5 ). 
This White-eye was discoYered 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 sarasinonm 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 India, Ceylon, Nicobars, Andamans, Laccadives; 
Z. simplex Swinh. : China; 
Z. neglecta Seeb. (Ibis 1893, 219, 258): East Java; 
Z. citrinella Bp.: Timor; 
Z. sarasinonm M. & W g. : Celebes ; 
Z. anomala M.&Wg.; South Celebes; 
Z. ahyssinka Gu4rin: Abyssinia, Socotra; 
Z. poliogaster Heugl.: N.E. and S.E. Africa; 
Z. anjuanensis E. Newt.: Comoro group; 
Z. demergi Biittik. (Notes Leyd. Mus. 1890, 202): Liberia; 
') The matter would bo rendered easier if ornithologists ooiUd be induced to adopt some fixed nomen- 
clature of colours. Dr. Sharpe speaks of the upper surface of Z. palpeh-osa as “olive-yellow”, Mi'. Oates 
(Faun. B. Ind. I. 213, 214) as “golden-yellow”; Dr. Sharpe speaks of its throat as “golden-yeUow”, Col. Legge 
as “pnmrose-yellow” — ergo, primrose-yellow should be the same thing as olive-yellow and the bird’s back 
and throat of the same tint! AVe recommend Kadde’s International Colour-scale, instead of Ridgway’s or 
Saccardo’s, the latter being quite insufficient. 
