Part 244

"Shot in great numbers in bamboo clumps in the open fields. Four males average as follow: Wing, 53; tail, 37; culmen, 14; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 13.7. Three females, wing, 51; tail, 37; culmen, 13; tarsus, 14.7; middle toe with claw, 14.4. Iris light brown; legs, feet, and nails leaden." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

607. ZOSTEROPS WHITEHEADI Hartert.

WHITEHEAD'S SILVEREYE.

Zosterops whiteheadi Hartert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1903), 14, 13; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 95.

Luzon (Whitehead, Worcester, McGregor, Mearns, Bartsch).

Diagnosis.--Similar to Zosterops meyeni from the vicinity of Manila, but male and female "differ conspicuously in being darker above and not so yellow, especially on the crown and forehead, in having darker and more greenish olive ear-coverts, all the feathers of the upper side having much darker gray bases, more greenish flanks, and a black loral patch which is not developed in Z. meyeni. Wing [female], 52 to 53.5; tail, 36; bill, 9." (Hartert.)

608. ZOSTEROPS VULCANI (Hartert).

MOUNT APO SILVEREYE.

Zosterops whiteheadi vulcani Hartert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1903), 14, 14. Zosterops vulcani McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 95; Grant, Ibis (1906), 473.

Mindanao (Goodfellow, Mearns).

Diagnosis.--"Entirely like Z. w. whiteheadi but larger and with a dusky shade under the eye. Wing, 58.8; tail, 40; bill, 10.5." (Hartert.)

A male from Mount Apo measures: Wing, 55; tail, 38; culmen from base, 12.5; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 18. A female, wing, 54; tail, 37.5; culmen from base, 12.5; bill from nostril, 7.5.

This subspecies appears to be very slightly different from Zosterops meyeni.

609. ZOSTEROPS HALCONENSIS Mearns.

MOUNT HALCON SILVEREYE.

Zosterops halconensis Mearns, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A, 360.

Mindoro (Mearns).

"Characters.--Sexes alike. Similar to Zosterops vulcani, but slightly larger. Wing, 56 against 55 millimeters; tail, 42 to 41; culmen, 12 to 11.5. Color yellower, but without a longitudinal yellow stripe on middle of abdomen; sides more whitish gray; cheeks and ear-coverts paler and yellower, but the yellow confined to the chin and throat not suffusing the upper chest; upper surfaces of a more golden green. From Zosterops whiteheadi the Mindoro form is easily distinguished, when similar seasonal plumages are compared, by its greater size and more yellow coloration." (Mearns.)

610. ZOSTEROPS BATANIS McGregor.

BATANES SILVEREYE.

Zosterops batanis McGregor, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A, 343.

Da-ti-ú, Batan.

Batan (McGregor).

Male (type).--Above yellowish green or light olive-yellow, brighter on crown, rump, and upper tail-coverts; lores and frontal band bright yellow; eye surrounded by a ring of silky white feathers, interrupted in front by a small dusky spot; an indistinct dusky line below eye-circle; auriculars and sides of neck light yellowish green like the crown; chin, throat, breast, and under tail-coverts bright yellow like the forehead; a faint yellow wash on middle of breast and abdomen; wing-coverts olive-yellow like the back; quills blackish and, except first primary, edged with olive-yellow, inner webs margined with white; edge of wing light yellow; axillars and wing-lining white, faintly washed with yellow; rectrices blackish edged with olive-yellow. Iris light brown; upper mandible black; lower mandible and legs leaden blue; nails brown. Length, 127; wing, 58; tail, 43; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 18. Iris pale brown; upper mandible black; lower mandible and legs lead-blue; nails brown.

Female.--Similar to the male. Wing, 55; tail, 40; culmen from base, 13; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 18.

A nest containing four fresh eggs of the Batan silvereye was taken on June 1, 1907. The nest, compactly made of plant fibers, was situated in the fork of a small tree; its inside diameter is 63 mm.; inside depth, 33. The eggs are pale blue and unmarked; they measure from 16.5 to 17.5 mm. in length, and from 12.1 to 12.9 mm. in breadth. Two nests containing young birds were found on the 5th of June.

611. ZOSTEROPS SIQUIJORENSIS Bourns and Worcester.

SIQUIJOR SILVEREYE.