Zosterops conspicillata conspicillata(Kittlitz)

Fig. 16Fig. 16.Geographic distribution ofMyzomela cardinalisand routes of its dispersal. (1) Probable center of dispersal ofMyzomela; (2) ranges ofM. c. sanfordiandM. c. pulcherrimain the Solomon Islands; (3)M. c. rubratra; (4)M. c. dichromata; (5)M. c. major; (6)M. c. kurodai; (7)M. c. kobayashii; (8)M. c. saffordi; (9)M. c. chermesina; (10) range ofM. cardinalisin the Santa Cruz, New Hebrides, Banks and Loyalty islands; (11)M. c. nigriventris.

Figure 16shows the probable routes of colonization used byM. cardinalisto attain its present distribution in the Pacific islands. The subspecies in the eastern Solomon Islands (M. c. pulcherrimaRamsey andM. c. sanfordiMayr) may be representative of the first colonization by the supposed ancestral stock. From a focal point in this area,M. cardinalishas dispersed by what may be considered as two routes. One route evidently was to the south as far as the Loyalty Islands with a side branch extending to the Samoan Islands whereM. c. nigriventrisPeale occurs. The second route extended north to the islands of Micronesia. The Caroline Islands were seemingly inhabited initially, with invasions of the Palaus made via Yap, and of the Marianas via Kusaie or PonapÃ© (as indicated by the comparison of specimens). Mayr (in conversation) has pointed out the close relationship between the subspecies in Micronesia andM. c.chermesinaGray of Rotuma Island. This subspecies at Rotuma, which is located between Santa Cruz and Samoa, resembles closelyM. c. dichromataof PonapÃ©, especially in the case of the female. It is evident that the honey-eater arrived at Rotuma from Micronesia, rather than from the Solomon and Santa Cruz area to the west.

Dicaeum conspicillatumKittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. VÃ¶gel, 2, 1833, p. 15, pl. 19, fig. 1. (Type locality, Guaham.)

Dicaeum conspicillatumKittlitz, MÃ©m. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. PÃ©tersbourg, 2, 1835, p. 3, pl. 4 (Guaham);idem, Obser. Zool., in LutkÃ©, Voy. "Le SÃ©niavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guaham).

Zosterops conspicillatumBonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. 398 (Mariann. = Guam).

Zosterops conspicillataReichenbach, Syn. Avium, 1852, p. 92 (Guaham); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 187 (Mariannen = Guam); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 16 (Guam); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1865, pp. 5, 17 (Guaham); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 163 (Ladrone = Guam); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 95 (Guaham); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 775 (Ladrone = Guam); Gadow, Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 187 (Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Guam); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 205 (Guam); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 3 (Guam); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 58 (Guam); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 37 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 264 (Guam);idem, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1901, p. 64 (Marianne = Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 706 (Guam); Bryan, Guam. Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 1948, p. 540 (Guam).

Zosterops conspicillatusKuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 76 (Guam).

Zosterops conspicillata conspicillataStresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Guam); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Guam);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, pp. 72, 73 (Guam).

Geographic range.â€”Micronesia: Mariana Islandsâ€”Guam.

Characters.â€”Adult: A small white-eye with upper parts near "serpentine green," becoming slightly lighter on the rump; orbital ring broad and white; fronto-loral band light yellowish-white; auriculars grayish-green; chin and throat yellowish-white; breast and abdomen dingy yellow; wing and tail feathers dark brown with greenish-yellow edges; upper mandible horn colored, lower mandible lighter yellow; legs and feet dark olive-gray; iris light umber. Adult female may be lighter on underparts.

Immature: Resembles adult, but underparts paler yellow and upper mandible light yellowish-brown.

Measurements.â€”Measurements ofZ. c. conspicillataare listed intable 50. Males and females have measurements which are nearly equal.

Table 50. Measurements of the Subspecies ofZosterops conspicillata

Weights.â€”The author (1948:73) records the weights of 11 adult males as 9.5-14.0 (10.5), of 3 adult females as 8.0-10.0 (9.3).

Specimens examined.â€”Total number, 61 (33 males, 17 females, 11 unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNMâ€”Guam, 27 (May 24, 29, 30, June 2, 3, 25, 28, July 12, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, Sept., Oct. 8); AMNHâ€”Guam, 34 (Jan., March, July, Aug., Sept., Nov., Dec.).

Nesting.â€”Seale (1901:58) reports the taking of one nestling and three nests with eggs of the bridled white-eye at Guam in the period from May to July. The NAMRU2 party obtained little evidence of nesting in late May to July. Three males taken in the period of June and July had enlarged gonads. Hartert (1898:57) records several nests taken in February and March at Guam. He writes, "The nest is a fairly deep cup, placed in the fork of a branch, woven together of fine grasses and roots, and on the outside ornamented with cobwebs, wool and cottonwood, varying in width from 8 to 5 cm. The clutches consist of 2 or 3 eggs. The eggs are pale blue, like allZosteropseggs. They measure 18:13, 17:13.2, 17:12.2, 15.5:12:5, 17:13.5, and between these measurements." Coultas obtained specimens with enlarged gonads in August. According to Oustalet (1895:207), Marche found nests and young in May or June.

Remarks.â€”Kittlitz obtained the Bridled White-eye at Guam, when he visited the island, in March, 1828. He found the birds common and they reminded him of titmice. Marche obtained a series of 21 skins at Guam in August and September, 1887, and in February and March, 1888. Seale (1901:58) observed the birds in flocks of 10 to 20 in roadside bushes and in waste areas. He mentions that their principal foods are insects. The NAMRU2 party found the birds to be restricted to certain areas on Guam, where they were found in small flocks moving about in low trees. Theywere taken at only five localities, two of these being at the northern end of the island in vegetation along the high, coastal cliffs. The other localities were in the central part of the island in low trees in the uplands. Strophlet (1946:540) found them in grasslands on the foothills. Arvey (field notes) saw a flock of 12 white-eyes at Mount Tenjo in July, 1946.

The white-eye is a very active bird, always moving rapidly through the vegetation or flying across open areas to disappear into scrub foliage. As they move about they make a twittering sound, which is considered to be a flocking call.

Zosterops conspicillata SaypaniDubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 711. (Type locality, Saypan.)

Zosterops conspicillataOustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 205 (Saypan); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Saipan); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 37 (Saipan); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Saipan); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 101 (Saipan); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Marianne = Saipan).

Zosterops conspicillatavar.saypaniSnouckaert, Alauda, (2), 3, 1931, p. 22 (Saypan).

Zosterops conspicillatusKuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922; p. 76 (Saipan).

Zosterops saipaniMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 706 (Saipan).

Zosterops conspicillata saipaniStresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Saipan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Saipan, Tinian); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Saipan, Tinian); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Tinian, Saipan);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Saipan, Tinian); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 104 (Tinian); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 527 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson, Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 73 (Saipan, Tinian).

Zosterops conspicillatus saipaniYamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 398 (Tinian).

Geographic range.â€”Micronesia: Mariana Islandsâ€”Tinian, Saipan.

Characters.â€”Adult: ResemblesZ. c. conspicillata, but slightly smaller with fronto-loral band more greenish yellow; auriculars olivaceous; orbital ring narrower; upper parts brighter olive; underparts pale yellowish-white; bill darker. Birds from Saipan resemble closely birds from Tinian, but upper parts may be slightly brighter and underparts slightly more yellowish; iris chestnut.

Measurements.â€”Measurements are listed intable 50. Twenty-three birds from Tinian measure: wing, 51 (50-53); tail, 38 (35-41); full culmen, 12.0 (12.0-13.0); tarsus, 18 (17-18); six birds from Saipan measure: wing, 54 (52-55); tail, 37 (35-39); full culmen, 13.0 (13.0-15.0); tarsus, 18 (17-19). Birds from Saipan are slightly larger than birds from Tinian.

Specimens examined.â€”Total number, 33 (18 males, 13 females, 2 unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNMâ€”7 (Oct. 7, 8, 9, 10, 23); AMNHâ€”26 (July, Aug., Sept.).

Nesting.â€”Yamashina (1932a:398) records the taking of three nests of the Bridled White-eye at Tinian on January 8, 1932. The nests contained one, two, and three eggs, respectively. The color of the eggs is uniformly pale blue; the nests were situated two to four meters from the ground. Oustalet (1895:207) writes that Marche obtained records of nesting at Saipan in the period from May to July. Of 18 birds taken by Coultas at Tinian in September, 1931, one-half of them had enlarged gonads.

Molt.â€”Specimens examined that were taken in July, August, September, and October have molting plumage.

Remarks.â€”Marche obtained the first skins of this white-eye at Saipan; he got 23 specimens in May, June, and July, 1887. The population at Saipan was initially considered similar to that at Guam; it was later given subspecific separation by Dubois. The birds at Tinian exhibit some differences from the birds at Saipan, and it is possible that these two populations should be regarded as subspecifically distinct from one another.

In 1931, Coultas (field notes) found this white-eye common at Saipan and Tinian. He writes "The little fellow has adjusted himself to the gardens and shrubs in the villages. He is a seed eater and makes himself at home now around human habitation. I have seen him climbing over potted plants on the window ledges of dwellings. His cheerful little sibilation uttered continuously while at work or while on the wing makes him friends wherever he goes. He is no longer a bird of the forest as he has none here to go to." Several observers in the late war have published notes on this white-eye. Stott (1947:527) writes that he was reminded of the bush-tit (Psaltriparus) when he observed the behavior of this white-eye; Moran (1946:262) writes that it is "Similar in size and behavior to our vireos." Gleise (1945:220) estimated the population of white-eyes at Tinian at 500 plus in 1945. Downs (1946:104-105) found the birds to be abundant at Tinian; he found them in small flocks in low brush or trees and at edges of open fields as well as elsewhere. He saw a white-eye eating "a large green fuzzy caterpillar."

Zosterops semperi rotensisTakatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 486. (Type locality, Rota.)

Zosterops semperiOustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 207 (Rota); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Rota); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 30 (Rota); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 58 (Rota); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 (Rota); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Marianne = Rota).

Zosterops semperi semperiMomiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 23 (Rota); Kuroda, (part) in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 75 (Rota).

Zosterops semperi rotensisSnouckaert, Alauda. (2), 4, 1932, p. 459 (Rota); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 399 (Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Rota).

Zosterops conspicillata rotensisHand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 (Rota); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Rota);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Rota); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 73 (Rota).

Geographic range.â€”Micronesia: Mariana Islandsâ€”Rota.

Characters.â€”Adult: Upper parts and sides of neck between "warbler green" and "pyrite yellow" becoming lighter on the rump; auriculars light yellowish-green; orbital ring white; fronto-loral band narrowly tinged with yellow; underparts dingy yellow; wing and tail feathers dark with light greenish-yellow edges; upper mandible light brown; lower mandible light yellowish-brown; feet light brown.

ResemblesZ. c. conspicillata, but brighter greenish-yellow above; chin and throat yellow like rest of underparts; fronto-loral band tinged with bright yellow; auriculars resemble closely the upper parts in color; narrow orbital ring.

Measurements.â€”Measurements are listed intable 50.

Specimens examined.â€”Total number, 5 (3 males, 1 female, 1 unsexed), from Mariana Islands, USNMâ€”Rota (Oct. 18, 20, 22).

Nesting.â€”Yamashina (1932a:399) records the taking of one nest containing two eggs at Rota on March 7, 1931.

Molt.â€”Specimens taken in October were in molt.

Remarks.â€”Oustalet (1895:207) reported on two specimens of white-eye taken at Rota by Marche. He considered them as being similar to the birds at Palau. The birds at Rota were named as a separate subspecies by Takatsukasa and Yamashina in 1931. The NAMRU2 party found the birds to be numerous at Rota in October, 1945.

Zosterops semperiHartlaub, in Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 117. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.)

Zosterops semperiHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 95 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 4, 16, pl. 4, fig. 1 (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 777 (Pelew); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 396 (Palau); Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 286 (Palau);idem(part), Ibis, 1881, p. 111 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 (Palau); Gadow (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 183 (Pelew); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 212 (Pelew); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Pelew); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Palaos); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Palau); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 30 (Palau); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 58 (Pelew); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 (Pelew).

Zosterops semperi semperiHartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 2 (Pelew); Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, pp. 22, 23 (Pelew); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 75 (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 705 (Pelew); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 486 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 (Palau).

Zosterops conspicillata semperiStresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1945, p. 73 (Garakayo).

Geographic range.â€”Micronesia: Palau Islandsâ€”Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Peleliu.

Characters.â€”Adult: Resembles adult ofZ. c. rotensis, but fronto-loral band lighter yellow, and coloring is usually not continuous above; auriculars paler; breast and abdomen paler yellow; maxilla and feet darker; mandible whitish. Resembles adult ofZ. c. conspicillata, but brighter greenish-yellow above; coloring of chin and throat like that of rest of underparts; auriculars colored like back; fronto-loral band narrowly tinged with bright yellow and not completely connected above; orbital ring narrow; iris grayish-white.

Measurements.â€”Measurements are listed intable 50.

Specimens examined.â€”Total number, 30 (15 males, 14 females, 1 unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNMâ€”Babelthuap, 2 (Nov. 27)â€”Koror, 4 (Nov. 14, 19)â€”Garakayo, 4 (Sept. 18, 19); AMNHâ€”exact locality not given, 20 (Oct., Nov., Dec.).

Molt.â€”All birds examined (taken in September, October, and November) are in molting plumage.

Food habits.â€”At Garakayo, birds were observed in small flocks feeding in low trees. Two stomachs examined, which were from individuals of these flocks, contained very small seeds.

Remarks.â€”Oustalet (1895:207) first pointed out the relationship between the Bridled White-eye at Palau and the one at Rota. Hartert (1898:57) thought that the occurrence of the same kind of bird at Palau and at Rota was "very peculiar." It was not until 1931 that Takatsukasa and Yamashina separated the two populations by name.

Coultas (field notes) found the Bridled White-eye to be uncommon in the Palaus in 1931. He observed them in the tops of trees, noting that they were wary and easily frightened away by the shooting of a gun. Coultas writes that he found the birds to be numerous at Peleliu; in 1945, the NAMRU2 party did not find the birds at that island. The only locality where they were found to occur was on the small island of Garakayo where the writer shot four Bridled White-eyes on September 18 and 19. He found two or three small flocks in low trees near the summit of a hill on the island. Approximately 25 birds were in this area.

Zosterops semperi owstoniHartert, Novit., Zool., 7, 1900, p. 2. (Type locality, Ruk.)

Zosterops semperi semperiFinsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 287 (Ruck);idem(part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 575 (Ruk);idem(part), Ibis, 1881, p. 110 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Gadow (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 183 (Central Carolines=Truk); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Ruk); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Ruk); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Ruk); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers, 1899, p. 80 (Ruk).

Zosterops semperi owstoniDubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 (Ruk); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZoÃ¶l., 63, 1919, p. 223 (Truk); Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 24 (Ruk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 75 (Ruk); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 705 (Ruk); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 496 (Ruk); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 400 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 (Truk).

Zosterops owstoniFinsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 31 (Ruk); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Ruck); Reichenow, Die VÃ¶gel, 2, 1914, p. 470 (Karolinen = Truk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 (Ruk).

Zosterops conspicillata owstoniStresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 277 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 (Truk); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Truk);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Truk); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, pp. 73, 74 (Truk).

Geographic range.â€”Micronesia: Caroline Islandsâ€”Truk.

Characters.â€”Adult: Resembles adult ofZ. c. semperi, but upper parts darker olive and less yellowish-green; fronto-loral band deeper yellow; auriculars slightly darker; black line on lores and under eye more distinct; underparts deeper yellow; abdomen with greenish tinges. Resembles adult ofZ. c. rotensis, but upper parts duller, more green and less yellow; fronto-loral band lighter and less distinct, coloring near that ofZ. c. semperi; auriculars darker green; underparts slightly darker, more olive-green and less yellow.

Measurements.â€”Measurements are listed intable 50.

Specimens examined.â€”Total number, 23 (12 males, 10 females, 1 unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNMâ€”Truk, 3 (Feb. 16); AMNHâ€”Truk, 20 (Feb., March, May, Nov.).

Nesting.â€”Yamashina (1932a:400) records the taking of a nest with one egg at Truk in May. Hartert (1900:2) records nests containing single eggs taken at Truk from May to July. Nests were found in bushes and trees four to eight feet above the ground. The eggs are pale blue. He gives measurements of seven eggs.

Remarks.â€”Kubary obtained the first specimens of the Bridled White-eye at Truk. Hartert described the population as a new subspecies using material taken by Owston's collectors. The bird was named in honor of Alan Owston. McElroy of the NAMRU2 party visited Truk in December, 1945. He found this white-eye in the mountainous areas at Moen and Udot islands.

Zosterops semperi(part), Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 286 (PonapÃ©);idem(part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 575 (PonapÃ©);idem(part), Ibis, 1881, p. 115 (PonapÃ©); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 (PonapÃ©); Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 (PonapÃ©); Gadow (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 183 (Central Carolines, PonapÃ©); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (PonapÃ©); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (PonapÃ©); Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 30 (PonapÃ©); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 (PonapÃ©); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 (PonapÃ©).

Zosterops semperi takatsukasaiKuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 76 (PonapÃ©); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 705 (PonapÃ©); Snouchaert, Alauda, (2), 3, 1931, p. 22 (PonapÃ©); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 400 (PonapÃ©); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 (PonapÃ©).

Zosterops conspicillata takatsukasaiStresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (PonapÃ©); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 (PonapÃ©); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (PonapÃ©);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (PonapÃ©); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 73 (PonapÃ©).

Characters.â€”Adult: Resembles adult ofZ. c. semperi, but slightly smaller with fronto-loral area more sulfur-yellow; underparts brighter, especially the coloring of the abdomen and under tail-coverts; iris light chestnut.

Measurements.â€”Measurements are listed intable 50.

Specimens examined.â€”Total number, 20 (10 males, 9 females, 1 unsexed) from Caroline Islands, AMNHâ€”PonapÃ© (Nov., Dec.).

Nesting.â€”Yamashina (1932a:400) records nests and eggs ofZ. c. takatsukasai. The nests, each containing a single egg, were taken on July 10 and 20, 1931. Coultas (field notes) writes that the nest consists of a small, cup-shaped structure of grasses and hair. The natives told him that two eggs were laid. In birds taken by Coultas in November the gonads were beginning to enlarge; specimens taken in December had swollen gonads. From the evidence at hand, it would appear that the Bridled White-eye at PonapÃ© breeds at two periods of the year, the winter and the summer.

Molt.â€”Specimens examined, which were taken by Coultas in November and December, are in fresh plumage.

Remarks.â€”In 1931, Coultas (field notes) found this white-eye to be rare at PonapÃ©. He obtained almost every one that he saw to get his series of 20 specimens. He found the birds usually in pairs around yellow-flowering bushy trees. A specimen taken by Richards had "small insects" in its stomach.

Zosterops hypolaisHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 95. (Type locality, Uap.)

Zosterops hypolaisGrÃ¤ffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 122 (Yap); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 776 (Carolinae=Yap); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 391 (Yap); Gadow. Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 186 (Uap); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Uap); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Uap); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 60 (Yap); Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 24 (Yap); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Yap); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 708 (Uap); Reichenow, Die VÃ¶gel, 2, 1914, p. 469 (Karolinen=Yap); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Mackenzie=Yap); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 76 (Yap); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 700 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Yap).

Zosterops conspicillata hypolaisStresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Yap); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Yap);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Yap).

Zosterops hypolaisHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Yap).

Geographic range.â€”Micronesia: Caroline Islandsâ€”Yap.

Characters.â€”According to Hartlaub and Finsch (1872:95), "Upper parts of a pale greyish green, throat and under tail-coverts a pure but very pale whitish-yellow; breast and abdomen of a mixed pale grey and pale yellow; wing- and tail-feathers pale blackish, margined with greenish colour of the back; under wing-coverts and inner margins of remiges white; eye-ring indistinct; beak fuscous, the under mandible paler, except at the tip; feet plumbeous."

Remarks.â€”No specimen has been examined by me. I am following Stresemann (1931:227) in placing the Bridled White-eye at Yap as a subspecies ofZ. conspicillata. This is one arrangement; the committee who prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (1942:192) treat this bird as a separate species. The Japanese probably have more specimens of this bird than anyone else and may be in a better position to judge its taxonomic status. Specimens of this white-eye were taken by Fisher in 1946 at Yap. His report (soon to be published) may throw additional light on the degree of distinctness ofZ. c. hypolais. On the basis of published descriptions it is evident thatZ. c. hypolaishas a few characters in common with other members of the species.

Evolutionary history of Zosterops conspicillata.â€”The small olive-green and yellow white-eyes of Micronesia have been considered as belonging to several species by authors in the past. As late as 1930, Mathews (1930; 700, 706) placed them in four species. Stresemann (1931a: 227) put them all in the speciesZ. conspicillata, an arrangement which is being followed in this report. It is evident, however, that these subspecies ofZ. conspicillatacan be associated into three groups. The author (1948:73) states thatZ. c. conspicillataandZ. c. saypanihave pale chins and throats, light fronto-loral bands, blackish coloring at the bend of the wings and broad, white orbital rings. Another group,Z. c. rotensis,Z. c. semperi,Z. c. owstoni, andZ. c. takatsukasai, have bright yellow chins and throats, matching the rest of the underparts, obscure fronto-loral bands, which are narrowly tinged with yellow, yellowish coloring at the bend of the wings, and narrow, white orbital rings.Z. c. hypolaisapparently falls into a third group by itself, as indicated by the published descriptions. There is apparently some variation in the color of the eyes of these subspecies; they may be either whitish or chestnut in color. The data are insufficient to determine the significance of this color character.

Z. conspicillatais restricted to Micronesia and appears to have little close relationship to other species of the genus.Z. conspicillatashows little affinity to white-eyes to the north and northwest of Micronesia belonging to the speciesZ. japonica, of which representatives are found in the Bonin and Volcano islands.Z. conspicillatashows greater affinity to species found to the west and to the south of Micronesia.

It may have colonized Micronesia from the south or southeast (Polynesia), even though the species is absent at Kusaie; however,Z. conspicillatashows more relationships to species now living to the westward and the southwestward, and it probably invaded Micronesia from some place in that direction.Z. conspicillatadiffers from species found in Melanesia and Malaysia chiefly in color of the forehead, lores, fronto-loral band, crown, nape, breast, abdomen, orbital ring, and bill. Also there are differences in the breadth of the orbital ring.

Z. conspicillatashows evidence of relationships withZ. nigrorumof the Philippines andZ. montanusof the Philippines and other parts of Malaysia.Z. nigrorumresemblesZ. c. semperiof Palau in size, but is brighter yellow-green above with a darker and less curved bill and brighter underparts. The fronto-loral band and the lores are colored the same inZ. nigrorumandZ. c. semperi.Z. montanusresemblesZ. conspicillataespecially in size and in shape of the bill.Z. lutea intermediaof the Makassar area shows some affinity toZ. conspicillata, although the bill is heavier. The Micronesia species also bears a close resemblance toZ. griseotinctaof the Papuan region. This is especially true ofZ. c. takatsukasaiat PonapÃ©; however,Z. griseotinctahas a heavier and larger bill.Z. lateralisfrom southern Melanesia and Australia is not very different fromZ. conspicillataaside from its grayish and brownish coloring.

Z. conspicillataprobably was derived from an ancestral stock which came to Micronesia from the Philippine or Moluccan area, rather than directly from Melanesia.Z. conspicillataseemingly shows the closest resemblance toZ. nigrorumor to some of its relatives in the Australo-Moluccan area. The subspecies at Palau,Z. c. semperi, appears to be the connecting link. Whether the form at Yap represents an independent colonization is not known; such might also be true in the case of the subspecies at Guam and at Saipan and Tinian. If these are considered as separate colonizations, then the populations can be regarded as separate species. Mayr, (in conversation) has pointed out the affinity of the white-eye at Samoa,Z. samoensis, withZ. conspicillataand suggests thatZ. samoensisis derived from the Micronesian species.

Drepanis cinereaKittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. VÃ¶gel, 1, 1832, p. 6, pl. 8, fig. 2. (Type locality, Ualan = Kusaie.)

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