DENDROMUS MESOMELAS
African climbing mouse

Description The colour of the upper parts of the body is grey-brown with a distinct black line running lengthwise down the body. The underside is white. The coat is soft and woolly. The tail has very small scales and a few scattered hairs and is ex-tremely mobile and somewhat prehensile. The front feet have just 3 toes which are large and well developed, the other 2 toes are much reduced in size; the hind feet have the normal num-ber, 5. The female has 8 nipples. Length of head and body up to 10 cm (4 in), tail about the same; weight 11-17 g (0.4-0.6 oz).

Habitat Grassland and scrub, but must be near water.

Behaviour This solitary mouse is mainly nocturnal and arbo-real; it can move with great agility through the branches of trees and bushes, and also through the tallest types of grasses. But if threatened it returns quickly to the ground. It builds its nest with plant matter, sometimes hanging it from branches but if can also dig burrows and tunnels in the ground. It feeds on fruit seeds, insects, and birds' eggs. It can easily be caught in the hands because it does not bite. Details about its reproduc-tion are unknown. Note This is one of the 20 species of the subfamily Dendro-murinae.