552 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Ayres procured it near Rustenburg in June, and says :—“ This is the 
only species of Coly that I found amongst the Magaliesbergen ; it is 
there very common in families, and feeds on various berries; its 
flight is very much like that of some Parrots, rapid and straight, 
with very quick beats of the wings.” Mr. Frank Oates shot a 
specimen in August on the Makalapsi River, and it also occurs in the © 
Zambesi, as Sir John Kirk found it in large flocks flying from bush 
to bush, and states that it is common in the forests and brushwood 
of the river valley. Mr. Andersson writes :—‘‘ This species is 
scarce in Damara Land; but I met with it about the Swakop River, 
and also near Okambute, at Otjimbinque, and near Ojipatna. It 
lives principally on the shoots and fruit of a bush of a yellowish- 
green colour, bearing red berries, and resembles C. capensis in its 
habits.” Senor Anchieta has procured it at Benguela and at Capan- 
. gombe, where it bears the native name of Mokende-kende, and also 
at Humbe on the Cunene River. 
Our friend Captain Shelley has kindly lent us a MS. paper 
on the Coliide, from which we find that the present species may 
always be distinguished by the colour of the bill, which has the basal 
half red, as well as the bare space round the eyes (fading into buff 
in dried skins). The red base is sharply defined from the remainder 
of the bill which is jet black. The upper surface of the body is 
more or less shaded with green. 
Upper parts shining bluish-green, inclining to grey; forehead 
reddish-brown ; under surface reddish-brown, with a grey tinge on 
the breast; vent, and under sidefof elongated tail-feathers, reddish- 
brown ; base of bill, and cere round the eye, a fine coral-red, fading 
to dirty-yellow in dried specimens. Length, 13” 6”; wing, 3’ 9”; 
tail, 9” 9”, 
Mr. Andersson states that the males are larger and handsomer 
than the females. Mr. Ayres gives the following soft parts :— 
“Trides pale grey; bill, tip black, basal part and also bare skin 
round the eye crimson ; tarsi and feet rose-red. (Hemale similar.)” 
Fig. le Vaill. Ois. d’ Afr, pl. 258. 
538. Coxtus capensis, Gm. White-backed Coly. 
Of the four species of this genus found in South Africa, and 
known by the trivial name of Muisvogel, or Mousebird, this is the 
only one that is found in the neighbourhood of Cape Town. It is 
