THE WORLD'S BIRDS. gj 



Distribution and Important Species.— The Nicobars 

 to Australia and the Pacific Islands. There are 

 about two dozen species, of which the best-known 

 is the above-mentioned Australian Brush-Turkey, 

 a sooty-brown bird as big as a fowl, with bare 

 red head and fowl-like tail. 



Mouse-Birds or Colies. (ColiidcB). 



Diagnosis.— 5w^// long-tailed free-birds, with four- 

 toed feet, the toes with no special direction. 



Size.— About that of a sparrow, exclusive of the long 

 tail. 



FoRM.—Bill short, stout, upper outline arched, corner 

 of mouth below front of eye ; feet with short shanks 

 and four strongly- clawed toes, the first and fourth 

 sometimes directed forward, sometimes backward ; 

 wings short and rounded ; tail long and graduated • 

 head always crested. 



Plumage.— Soft and loose, drab in colour, almost 

 uniform. Feet and base of bill often red. No 

 sexual or seasonal difference ; young like parents 



Young.— Naked and helpless. 



Eggs. — Several ; pure white or spotted with red. 



Nest.— A simple open structure of twigs in a bush. 



Food.— Fruit and buds, sometimes insects. 



Gait.— They seldom leave the trees, where they creep 

 about Hke mice, resting on the whole shank, and 

 clmging in any position, sleeping back downwards; 

 on the ground they hop, resting on their hocks 

 still. 



Flight.— Weak, effected by alternate fluttering of the 



wings and skimming. 

 Note.— A harsh chatter. 



