82 



ELEMENTS OE OENITHOlOfiT. 



Cape Colony, where it is known as the Mouse-bird, and is said 

 always to sleep hanging head downwards. They are short- 

 beaked Birds, often to be seen in Zoological Gardens, for 

 they can be kept with considerable facility. 



Another small group of Birds, still more restricted geogra- 

 phically, are the Todies, of which there are but nine species, 



Kg. 84. 



The Bee-eater (Merops apiaster). 



all confined to the West Indies. "With their short tails and 

 straight, rather long biU, they have somewhat the aspect of 

 Kingfishers. The Green Tody {TodAxs viridis) may stand as a 

 representative of this small group. 



Birds named — ^from their habits — Bee-eaters are found 



