176



Mr. Graham Renshaw,



ceeds to make a meal. When on the ground the Mousebird hops

quickly along, the whole metatarsus touching the earth, and the

long stiff tail dragging behind. This species sleeps in an extra¬

ordinary fashion, for, instead of roosting like ordinary birds, it

lies prone on a convenient ledge or shelf, and looks as if dead or

at the last gasp. The Striated Mousebird may be fed on ants’

eggs, mealworms, grapes, apples, and pears; its note is a weak

chirp, but it squeaks rapidly when much alarmed.


Although in poor condition when he arrived (owing

apparently to an insufficient fare of cheap unripe fruit) my bird

soon improved on a liberal diet of mealworms and grapes, the

plumage becoming beautifully smooth and fine. Perhaps this



A Characteristic Attitude of Colitis stricitus.



improvement in health led to the adoption of the luxurious tastes

which eventually proved his destruction, for, during the moult,

instead of sleeping on a perch or sill like an ordinary bird, this

Sybarite began to intrude upon an African Jerboa-rat {Diptis

agyptius) which shared the aviary, and used to sleep in this

animal’s warm bed every night. The Jerboa began to take pay¬

ment by stripping off the Mouse-bird’s feathers, and we suppose

one night accidentally overlay the Mouse-bird, for the un¬

fortunate Colitis was found apparently smothered, being in

excellent condition and without external wound, but lifeless.



