MOUSEBIBDS 53 



They are gregarious in habits, going about in flocks, and 

 are chiefly remarkable for the hair-like nature of their 

 breast feathers, from which they derive their Dutch 

 name of "Muisvogel" (Mousebird). They have crested 

 heads and long tails. 



South Africa possesses three species and a sub-species. 

 The Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus] is of an ashy- 

 grey colour above and ashy-brown below, streaked with 

 wavy lines of a darker tint. Bare skin round eye black. 



It ranges from the Cape Colony to the Zambesi, but 

 is not found in the Orange Eiver Colony, Western or 

 Central Transvaal. 



The White-backed Mousebird (C. capensis) is easily 

 distinguishable from the foregoing bird by the centre of 

 the back being white bordered with black, and a patch 

 of dark maroon 011 the rump. This is the Western 

 species ranging from Cape Town, touching the Orange 

 Kiver Colony and Transvaal, up to Damaraland. 



The Eed-faced Mousebird (C. erythromelon) can easily 

 be recognised from either of the two first-mentioned 

 species by its greyish-green colour and the conspicuous 

 crimson skin round the eye. 



The Colies nest in trees, building a somewhat frail 

 saucer-shaped structure of sticks, which is lined in the 

 case of the Speckled Mousebird with green leaves, and 

 with grass and vegetable down so far as the other two are 

 concerned. 



In the Grahamstown district we found the Speckled 

 and the Eed-faced Mousebirds common, but in the 

 Orange Eiver Colony and Central Transvaal only the 

 Eed-faced species occurs. 



The latter bird lays three eggs of a creamy-white, 



