ZOSTEEOPS PALPEBEOSA. 
583 
North-west Himalayas, wing 2'1 to 2'25. These data show that the species varies in size somewhat, the largest 
specimens, as may be expected, inhabiting the Himalayas. A Nicobar-Islands example has the upper surface of a 
darker green than most Indian ones, and possesses a well-defined pale superloral stripe, with the black of the lores 
passing under the eye. There are several closely-allied species of this genus ; among them Zosterops simplex, 
Swinhoe, from China, is not distantly related to Z. palpehrosa ; and Z. huxtoni, Nicholson (Ibis, 1879, p. 167), from 
Java, is a miniature of our bird, the back greener, the tail darker, the black of the lores passing under the eye, 
and the wings tinged with grey ; throat and under surface as in Z. palpehrosa-, wing 1‘9 to 1'95. 
Distribution . — The Common Zosterops, or White-eye, is a very numerous bird in Ceylon, and is more or 
less seattered over the whole of the low country, ascending likewise into the hilly regions to an altitude of 
about 3500 feet. In the Western Province and south-west it is particularly numerous, both on the sea- 
board and in the interior ; hut in the northern half of the island it appears to prefer the inland districts, for I 
always found it less abundant along the north-east coast than in the central forests ; in these latter, however, 
it is local, and, like most other birds, comes much more into notice in one part than in another. It is common 
in the woods of the Eastern Province and in the jungles to the south of the Haputale ranges. In the moun- 
tainous country formed by the Morowak and Kolonna Korales I noticed it chiefly at the borders of forests, 
and in the Kandyan Province it is partial to the sparsely-timbered patnas in the wide valleys which are drained 
by the affluents of the Mahawelliganga ; thus in the Pusselawa, Hewahette, Deltota, and other districts, as well 
as in that of Badulla, it is fairly common. 
On the mainland it has a wide range, being found in various localities throughout the whole of India to 
the sub-IIimalayan regions, and extends thence into Assam, Burmah, and probably to Tenasserim, in which 
province its presence is doubtfully recorded in ‘ Stray Feather's ’ by Mr. Hume. In the extreme south it is a 
common bird, being found both at the base and the summit of the Palanis, and also on the tops of the Nilghiri 
hills, where Jerdon remarks that it exists in great abundance. It therefore ascends to a greater altitude in 
the peninsula than iir Ceylon. It likewise occurs in the Northern Ghfits, is common throughout the wooded 
portions of the Deccan, sparingly distributed in Chota Nagpur, rare in the Sambhur-Lake district, w'here 
Adam says he has only once seen it, and further west still is locally diffused, being common at Mount Aboo, 
but not found in the plains adjacent to it. Mr. Hume writes, “ I have never seen it in or from Cutch or 
Sindh, nor have I specimens from Kattiawar ; but Captain Hayes Lloyd reports it as common there, probably 
as pertaining to the Girwar region.^’ It is found near Mussoori, and along the slopes of the Himalayas east- 
ward ; in Pegu it is likewise well known. Its universal distribution throughout the Laccadives is singular. 
Mr. Hume writes, “ The W^hite-eyed Tit is the one resident land-bird of the group ; it occurs in every inhabited 
island that we touched at.’-" The Andaman and Nicobar islands also come within its range, the representatives 
of the species there being somewhat different from continental Inrds, inasmuch as they appear, as a rule, to 
have longer bills and to be of a somewhat greener shade on the upper surface (the peculiarities of one example 
are noticed above) . They were originally separated by Blyth as Z. nicobarica ; but Mr. Hume considers 
that though they might form a variety of the true Z. palpehrosa, they cannot well be separated entirely. 
Habits . — This little bird is most sociable in its proclivities, frequenting the leafy boughs and tops of trees 
in woods and forests, either in large flocks or smaller parties of a dozen or more. It searches about the leaves 
and blossoms of trees in flower, and feeds on insects, seeds, and buds ; it is restless in its manners, the whole 
flock moving about in consort and uttering perpetually a plaintive monosyllabic whistle. On windy days it 
is more on the move than at other times, and its tiny note is heard above the roar of the storm in the forest 
more plainly than the louder voice of other birds. It is partial to the jack, bread-fruit, “ tulip,'^ and other trees 
growing about native villages j and in the afternoon, after its appetite has been appeased, little troops of four 
or five may be seen sitting huddled together on dead branches of, or bare twigs in, those umbrageous trees. 
At certain times of the year I have seen it in the Suriah-trees in the fort of Colombo, to which it is no doubt 
attracted when they are in flower. Although this White-eye partakes of insects, its diet is, for the most part, 
frugivorous, the consequence of which is that it is very destructive to gardens, picking off the buds of fruit- 
trees, as well as attacking the fruit itself. I have known caged individuals in England feed with avidity on 
dried figs. 
