Cape White-eye

SCI Name:  Zosterops virens
Protonym:  Zosterops virens Oefv.Vet.-Akad.Forh. 26["1869"] 26["1869"], 7 p. 101
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Zosteropidae / Zosterops
Taxonomy Code:  capwhe2
Type Locality:  Caffraria [type in Stockholm Museum from Port Natal (= Durban) ] .
Author:  Sundevall
Publish Year:  1850
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

ZOSTEROPS
(Zosteropidae; Ϯ Madagascar White-eye Z. maderaspatanus) Gr. ζωστηρ zōstēr, ζωστηρος zōstēros  belt, girdle; ωψ ōps, ωπος ōpos  eye; "Genus. ZOSTEROPS*.   Rostrum mediocre, gracile, arcuatum; mandibula superiore vix emarginata; naribus basalibus, linearibus, longitudinalibus, membrana supra tectis, rictu inermi.  Alæ mediocres; remigibus prima et quinta fere æqualibus, secunda tertia et quarta paulo longioribus, fere æqualibus, primariis secundarias paululum longitudine superantibus.  Pedes subfortes, subelongati; acrotarsiis scutellatis.  Cauda æqualis.  Caput gracile, concinnum; plumulis periopthalmicis subsericeis albis cingulum subprominentem efformantibus.   ...   The true Sylvia, if we select the slenderly-formed Warblers of Europe, such as the Motacillæ hippolais, trochilus, &c. Linn., as the types of the genus, are set apart from almost all the other species by the formation of their wing, in which the first quill-feather is extremely short, in some instances, indeed, almost spurious.  Of the foreign groups of the family we have already observed that the New Holland genera Malurus and Acanthiza come nearest the European type by the same construction of the wing.  The present group essentially differs from it.  The first quill-feather is long, almost equal to the second, which together with the third and fourth,—all of them nearly of a length,—are the longest.  The nares also are linear and longitudinal, thus differing from the oval form of the European type.  In other respects the characters of these two groups have a general accordance.  Besides the disposition of the wing-feathers, we may also mention the scutellation of the tarsi, the even tail, and the unarmed rictus, as additional marks of distinction from the before-mentioned New Holland Sylviadæ.  From the genus Hylophilus of M. Temminck, which has lately been separated with much judgement from the Sylvia of Dr. Latham, and which also has the first quill-feather elongated and nearly even with the rest, our present group may readily be distinguished by a much more gracile and arcuated bill, in which the nares also are of a different construction.  The Motacilla Maderaspatana of Linnæus, (Sylvia Madagascariensis, Lath.), belongs to our group, which seems to have a very wide dispersion.    1. DORSALIS  ...  Sylvia annulosa, var. β.  Swains. Zool. Illust. pl. 16.  ...  Orbitæ plumulis albis vestitæ.   ...   *Zωστηρ cingulum, and ωψ oculus." (Vigors & Horsfield 1826); "Zosterops Vigors and Horsfield, 1826, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 15, p. 234. Type, by subsequent designation (Lesson, 1828 Man. Orn., 1, p. 286), Motacilla maderaspatana Linnaeus." (Mayr in Peters, 1967, XII, p. 290). The majority of white-eyes have a ring of white feathers around each eye.
Var. Fosterops, Fosterzops, Zostenops.
Synon. Cyclopterops, Luteozosterops, Malacirops, Nesozosterops, Oreosterops, Parinia, Sanfordia, Speirops, Tephras, Woodfordia, Zosteropisylvia.

zosterops
Gr. ζωστηρ zōstēr, ζωςτηρος zōstēros  belt, girdle; ωψ ōps,  ωπος ōpos  eye.

virens
L. virens, virentis  green  < virere  to be green.
● ex “Olive-green Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Chlorodrepanis).
● ex “Gobe-mouche cendré de la Caroline” of Brisson 1760 (Contopus).
● "95. TURDUS.  ...  virens.  16. T. nigro-virens, subtus lutescens, superciliis albis.  Oenanthe americana, pectore luteo. Catesb. car. I. p. 50. t. 50.  Habitat in America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Icteria).
● ex “Grand Barbu de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 871, “Grand Barbu” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Grand Barbet” of Latham 1783 (Psilopogon).
● ex "Ficedula pensilvanica gutture nigro" of Brisson 1760, "Black-throated Green Fly-catcher" of Edwards 1760, "Figuier à cravatte noire" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Green Warbler" of Latham 1783 and Pennant 1785 (Setophaga).
● ex “Merle de St.-Domingue” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 273, fig. 1, and “Merle olive de St.-Domingue” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (unident.;?Vireo sp.).

SUBSPECIES

Cape White-eye (Cape)
SCI Name: Zosterops virens capensis
capense / capensis
Cape of Good Hope, South Africa (originally named Cabo das Tormentas Cape of Storms, by the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, it was renamed Cabo de Boa Esperança by João II King of Portugal in 1490 to reflect the optimism engendered by his country's explorations).
● ex “Cape Wigeon” of Latham 1785 (Anas).
● ex “Petite Mésange du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of Sonnerat 1782, “Petit Deuil” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Cape-Titmouse” of Latham 1783 (syn. Anthoscopus minutus).
● "113. MUSCICAPA.  ...  capensis.  16. M. fuscus, subtus alba, pectore nigro, fascia alarum rufa, rectricibus apice albis. Briss. av. 2. p. 372. t. 36. f. 3.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei.  Latera abdominis rufa. Tectrices alarum majores apice rufæ. Rectrices nigræ, apice albæ: extima latere exteriore alba." (Linnaeus 1766) (Batis).
● ex “Grand Duc” of Levaillant 1799, pl. 40 (unident.;?syn. Bubo capensis).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= Cayenne); "56. BUCCO.  ...  capensis.  1. B. rufus, fascia humerali fulva, pectorali nigra.  Bucco. Briss. av. 4. p. 92. t. 6. f. 2.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei.  Cauda rotundata rectricibus 10." (Linnaeus 1766) (Bucco).
● ex “Sirli du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (syn. Certhilauda curvirostris).
● ex “Corneille du Cap” of Levaillant 1800, pl. 52 (Corvus).
● ex “Coucou du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 390, and “Cape Cuckow” of Latham 1782 (syn. Cuculus solitarius).
● "65. CERTHIA.  ...  capensis.  4. C. grisea, rectricibus nigricantibus: extima exterius albo fimbriata. Briss. av. 3. p. 618. t. 31. f. 1.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (unident.; ?syn. Cyanomitra olivacea).
● Seas off the Cape of Good Hope (“Said by sailors to be a sure presage of a near approach to that promontory” (Latham 1785)); "64. PROCELLARIA.  ...  capensis.  3. P. albo fuscoque varia. Amœn. acad. 4. p.  . . Osb. it. 76  Anas alia indica. Gesn. av. 803. t. 804. f. 2.  Peteril media maculata. Edw. av. 90. t. 90. f. 2.  Habitat ad Cap. b. Spei." (Linnaeus 1758) (Daption).
● ex “Pic à tête grise du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 786, fig. 2, and “Cape Woodpecker” of Latham 1782 (syn. Dendropicos griseocephalus).
● "110. EMBERIZA.  ...  capensis.  9. E. grisea, gula albida, fascia oculari maxillarumque nigricante.  Hortulanus capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 3. p. 230. t. 14. f. 4.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (Emberiza).
● "109. LOXIA.  ...  capensis.  39. L. atra, uropygio tectricibusque alarum luteis.  Fringilla capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 3. p. 171. t. 16. f. 1.  Habitat ad Caput b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (Euplectes).
● ex “Montagnard” of Levaillant 1798, pl. 35 (syn. Falco rupicolus).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= Cayenne); ex “Petite perruche au Cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-17781, pl. 455, fig. 1, “Perruche aux ailes bleues” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Blue-winged Parrakeet” of Latham 1781 (syn. Forpus passerinus).
● Erroneous TL. Madagascar, Réunion and Cape of Good Hope (= Réunion); ex “Huppe du cap de bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 697, “Huppe noire et blanche du cap de bonne espérance” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Madagascar Hoopoe” of Latham 1782 (‡syn. Fregilupus varius).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= India); "106. STURNUS.  ...  capensis.  2. S. nigricans, capitis lateribus subtusque albus.  Sturnus capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 2. p. 446. t. 41. f. 3.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei. An varietas S. contræ?  Macula alarum & uropygium alba. Rostrum basi flavescens, apice rufescens. Pedes lutei." (Linnaeus 1766) (syn. Gracupica contra).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= Cayenne); ex “Carouge du Cap de Bonne Espérance” (= ♀) of Brisson 1760, and “Carouge de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 343 (syn. Icterus spurius).
● "105. ALAUDA.  ...  capensis.  8. A. rectricibus tribus lateralibus apice albis, gula lutea nigro marginata, superciliis flavis.  Alauda capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 3. p. 364. t. 19. f. 3.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (Macronyx).
● "114. MOTACILLA. ...  capensis.  24. M. fusca, subtus albida, fascia pectorali fusca, superciliis albis, rectricibus lateralibus oblique albis.  Motacilla capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 3. p. 476. t. 25. f. 3.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (Motacilla).
● "104. COLUMBA.  ...  capensis.  39. C. macroura, cauda cuneata, remigibus primoribus latere interiore rufis.  Turtur capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 1. p. 120. t. 9. f. 2.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei.  Corpus griseo-fuscum. Alæ macula chalybis splendentis. Maris jugulum atrum. Rostrum & Pedes rubra." (Linnaeus 1766) (Oena).
● ex “Traquet Montagnard” of Levaillant 1806, pl. 184, fig. 2 (syn. Oenanthe monticola).
● ex “Loriot Coudougnan” of Levaillant 1808, pll. 261, 262 (syn. Oriolus larvatus).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= Java); ex “Martin-pescheur du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of Brisson 1760 (Pelargopsis).
● ex “Jaboteur” of Levaillant 1801 (syn. Phyllastrephus terrestris).
● "52. ORIOLUS.  ...  capensis.  18. O. fusco-olivaceus, subtus luteus.  Xanthornus capitis b. spei. Briss. av. 2. p. 128.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (Ploceus).
● Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia (syn. Podargus strigoides phalaenoides, syn. Sericornis magnirostris dubius).
● ex “Cape Partridge” of Latham 1783 (Pternistis).
● "107. TURDUS.  ...  capensis.  17. T. nigricans, abdomine subflavescente, crisso luteo.  Merula fusca cap. b. spei. Briss. av. 2. p. 259. t. 27. f. 3.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei." (Linnaeus 1766) (Pycnonotus).
● "86. SCOPOLAX [sic].  ...  capensis.  14. S. rostro recto lineaque verticis rufescentibus, fascia pectorali nigra, linea utrinque dorsali alba.  Gallinago capitis b. spei. Briss. app. 141. t. 6.  Habitat ad Cap. b. spei.  Dorsum cinereum, nigro undulatum. Lineola albido-rufescens a rostro ad occiput. Orbitæ albæ postice in fasciam productæ. Collum antice rufum. Pectus fascia nigra, a qua fascia alba utrinque per dorsum ducta ad uropygium. Abdomen album. Pedes nigri." (Linnaeus 1766) (syn. Rostratula benghalensis).
● ex “Gobe-mouche à collier du Cap de Bonne Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 572, fig. 2 (syn. Saxicola torquata).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= South Island, New Zealand) (‡Turnagra).
● Erroneous TL. Cape of Good Hope (= Cayenne); ex “Bruant du Cap de Bonne-Espérance” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 386, fig. 2 (Zonotrichia).
● ex “Orange-bellied Manakin” of Latham 1783 (unident.).

Cape White-eye (Green)
SCI Name: Zosterops virens virens
virens
L. virens, virentis  green  < virere  to be green.
● ex “Olive-green Creeper” of Latham 1782 (Chlorodrepanis).
● ex “Gobe-mouche cendré de la Caroline” of Brisson 1760 (Contopus).
● "95. TURDUS.  ...  virens.  16. T. nigro-virens, subtus lutescens, superciliis albis.  Oenanthe americana, pectore luteo. Catesb. car. I. p. 50. t. 50.  Habitat in America." (Linnaeus 1758) (Icteria).
● ex “Grand Barbu de la Chine” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 871, “Grand Barbu” of de Buffon 1770-1785, and “Grand Barbet” of Latham 1783 (Psilopogon).
● ex "Ficedula pensilvanica gutture nigro" of Brisson 1760, "Black-throated Green Fly-catcher" of Edwards 1760, "Figuier à cravatte noire" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Green Warbler" of Latham 1783 and Pennant 1785 (Setophaga).
● ex “Merle de St.-Domingue” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 273, fig. 1, and “Merle olive de St.-Domingue” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (unident.;?Vireo sp.).