Genus ZOSTEEOPS. 
Bill somewhat curved, high and wide at the base, compressed towards the tip, which is 
obsoletely notched and very acute. Nostrils linear; a few rictal bristles. Wings with the 
3rd quill exceeding the 2nd, which is longer than the 1st. Tail shorter than the wings, even 
at the tip. Tarsus longer than the middle toe and claw, and shielded with broad smooth scales; 
outer and middle toes slightly syndactyle, claws much curved. Eyes beset with a velvety fringe 
of white feathers. 
ZOSTEEOPS PALPEBEOSA. 
(THE COMMON WHITE-EYE.) 
Sylvia pcilpebrosa, Temm. PI. Col. 293. fig. 2 (1824). 
Zosterops nicoharicus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. 1845, xiv. p. 563. 
Zosterops palpebrosm, Blyth, J. A. S. B. 1846, xv. p. 44 ; id. Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 220 
(1849) ; Kelaart, Prodromus, Cat. p. 121 (1852) ; Layard, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 
1853, xii. p. 267 ; Jerdon, B. of Ind. ii. p. 265 (1863) ; Legge, J. A. S, (Ceylon Branch) 
1870-71, p. 52 ; Iloldsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 458, pi. xx. fig. 1 ; Adam, Str. Feath. 1873, 
p. 384 ; Hume, Nests and Eggs, ii. p. 397 (1874); Ball, Str. Feath. 1874, p. 417 ; Legge, 
Ibis, 1874, p. 22 ; Walden, t. c. p. 143 ; Morgan, Ibis, 1875, p. 322 ; Hume, Str. Feath. 
1875, p. 143 ; Brooks, t. c. p. 252 ; Butler & Hume, t. c. p. 491 ; Hume, ibid. 1876, 
p. 463 ; Fairbank, ibid. 1877, p. 407. 
Zosterops nicobariensis, Hume, Str. Feath. 1874, p. 242, et 1876, p. 291. 
The White-eyed Warbler, Latham ; The White-eyed Tit, Jerdon ; The Zosterops of some. 
Adult male and female. Length 4-1 to 4-4 inches ; wing 2-05 to 2-1 ; tail 1-5 to 1-6 ; tarsus 0-6 to 0'65 ; middle toe 
and claw 0-5 ; hill to gape 0’45 to 0’49. 
Male. Iris (very variable) brownish olive or olive-grey, or grey mottled with brown, and often with a pale outer circle ; 
bill blackish, bluish at base beneath ; legs and feet slate-blue. 
Above unifoiTU yellowish green, slightly yellow'er on the upper tail-coverts and sides of neck, where it blends into the 
primrose-yellow of the chin, fore neck, and upper part of chest ; wings and tail bi’own, edged with a slightly 
greener hue than the back ; lores black, above which the feathers are yellowish ; a deep orbital fringe of white 
feathers ; beneath albescent, shaded with greyish on the sides of the upper breast and on the flanks ; centre of 
belly with a faint yellowish w'ash ; under tail-coverts and edge of wring yellow ; under wing-coverts white ; the 
loral spot varies in intensity, being blacker in birds which are in new feather than in others. 
Female. Iris often tinged with reddish. I have myself only noticed this peculiarity in this sex ; it may exist in 
the other. 
Ohs. Mr. Holdsworth remarks {loe. cit.) that specimens from the low country vary in size ; I have found this to be 
the case as regards bulk, but not in the wing to any extent. Indian specimens have the grey of the flanks 
spreading more over the under surface than Ceylonese ; they vary, however, iu this respect, and the exceptions to 
the rule correspond too well writh our birds to admit of any separation of the latter. The coloration of the upper 
surface and the throat are the same in both forms. As regards size, six examples in the national collection from 
various parts of India vary in the wing from 2'0 to 2'1 inches ; one from NUghiris, wing 2‘05, tail 1'6 (this is 
paler beneath than some of the above-mentioned, but darker above) ; one from Tenasserim, wing 2-1, slightly 
darker than the Ceylonese examples ; one from Nepal, wring 2-0 ; one from Darjiling, wing 1-95 ; four from 
