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ZOSTEROPS DORSALIS, V ig .a n dH o r sf.
Grey-backed Zosterops.
Certhia ccerulescens, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xxxviii.
L ’Heorotaire lieu, Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. ii. p. 121. pi. 83?
Bluish-breasted Creeper, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 244.
Ceerulean Creeper, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 188.
Ccerulean Honey-eater, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 204.
Sylvia lateralis, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lv.
Rusty-side Warbler, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 250.—Shaw Gen. Zool., vol. x. p. 659.—Lath. Gen. Hist.,
vol. vii. p. 140.
Certhia diluta, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 244.
Philedon cceruleus, Cuv.
Meliphaga coerulea, Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p. 264.
Sylvia annulosa, var. ß, Swains. Zool. 111. 1st Ser., pi. 16.
Zosterops dorsalis, Yig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 235.
White-eye, Colonists of New South Wales.
T h is bird is stationary in all parts of Van Diemen’s Land, New South Wales and South Australia, and is
more numerous than any other bird inhabiting those countries ; where it is not only to be met with in the
forests and thickets, but also in nearly every garden,, by the proprietors of which it is regarded more as a pest
than, as one would suppose, a welcome visitor ; no one o f the birds of the country effecting greater damage
to the buds and fruits of every kind. It even builds its nest and rears its young in the shrubs and rose-trees
bordering the walks. I observed several nests in such situations in the garden of the Government House at
New Norfolk, Van Diemen’s Land. Among the trees o f the forest the beautiful tea-tree (leptospermum ?) is
the one to which at all times this species evinces a great partiality. Were it not for its destructive propensities,
the Grey-backed Zosterops must from its familiar disposition and pretty lively song be a very general favourite.
Its flight is quick and darting, and when among the branches o f the trees it is as active as most birds,
prying and searching with the most scrutinizing care into the leaves and flowers for the insects, upon which
it feeds. It is sometimes seen singly or in pairs, while at others it is to be observed in great numbers, on the
same or neighbouring trees. The southern and eastern portions of Australia, and the islands adjacent, are
its true habitat ; and the two succeeding plates will show how beautifully it is represented by allied species in
other parts of the country.
The breeding-season commences in September and continues to January. The nest is one o f the neatest
structures possible ; it is of a round deep cup-shaped form, composed of fine grasses, moss and wool, and
most carefully lined with fibrous roots and grasses. The eggs are usually three in number, of a beautiful
uniform pale blue, eight and a half lines long by six lines broad.
The sexes present no difference o f plumage.
On examining the “ Collection o f Australian Drawings,” formerly belonging to the late A. B. Lambert,
Esq., and now in the possession of the Earl of Derby, who kindly forwarded them to me for the
purposes of the present work, I find that this species was long since described by Latham, under the names
above quoted ; in neither of his descriptions, however, does he mention the white ring around the eye,
which forms so conspicuous a feature in the appearance of the bird, the want o f which would have precluded
the possibility of my believing them to be identical, had not the drawings named by Latham’s own hand
proved such to be the case : the species should therefore stand as Zosterops ccerulescens, although Z. lateralis
would certainly be more appropriate ; unfortunately this fact did not come to my knowledge until after the
Plate had been named, and the requisite number of impressions struck off. Latham refers to the 83rd Plate of
the “ Oiseaux Dorées,” as identical with his ccerulescens, but of this as I have indicated above I am doubtful.
Crown of the head, wings and tail olive ; back dark grey, eyes surrounded by a zone of white feathers,
bounded in front and below with black ; throat, centre of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts greyish white
with a slight tinge of olive ; flanks light chestnut brown ; upper mandible dark brown, under mandible
lighter ; irides and feet greyish brown.
In some specimens the throat and sides of the head are wax-yellow, and the flanks are only stained with
chestnut brown.
The Plate represents the male, female and nest of the natural size, on a branch of the tea-tree of Van
Diemen’s Land.