308 TJIE FEATHERED lltlliES. 



utters ill a lancous guttural Aoice, ospcclally preceding rain, a A\orcl wliieli sounds like 

 orratfottoo or irorratfoltoo, exactly whicli has not yet been determined. 



These birds pair and build in j\Iay ; the nest is usually iixed among the horizontal 

 branches of an apple-tree ; sometimes in a solitary thorn, crab, or cedar, in some retired 

 part of the woods. It is constructed with little art, and scarcely any conca\'ity, of small 

 sticks and twigs, intermixed with green weeds, and blossoms of the common maple. On 

 this almost flat bed, tlie eggs, usually tliree or four in number, are placed ; these are of 

 a uniform greenish blue colour, and of a size proportionable to the size of the bird. "While 

 the female is sitting the male is usually not far distant, and gi\es the alarm by his notes 

 when any persons arc approaching. Tlie female sits so close that you may almost reach 

 her with your hand, and then she precipitates herself to the ground, feigning lameness 

 to draw j'ou away from the spot, fluttering, trailing her wings, and tumbling over in the 

 manner of a woodcock, piai'tridge, and many other birds. Both parents unite in providing 

 food for the yomig. This consists for the most part of caterpillars, particularly such as 

 infest apple trees. The same insects constitute the chief part of their own sustenance. 

 They are accused, and with some justice, of sucking the eggs of other birds, like the 

 crow, the blue jay, and other pillagers. They also occasionally eat various kinds of 

 berries. But from the circumstance of their destroying sucli numbers of very noxious 

 larva', they prove themselves the friends of the farmer, and arc highly deserving of his 

 protection. On the ground the cow-bird is .very awkward, owing to the shortness 

 of its tarsi ; hence it seldom alights, except occasionally to pick up a tempting snail 

 or insect ; among the branches it is, however, active, and its fliglit is rapid, silent, and 

 arrow-like. 



The bill of this bird, as characteristic of the genus, is long, compressed, slightly arched, 

 acute, and slender. The tarsi are short ; the claws are arched and slender. The tail long 

 and graduated ; the wings ample. The upper mandible is brown at the tip, but its base, 

 and the whole of the lower mandible, are yellow. General colour of the uj^per surface 

 light greenish-brown. Tail feathers, except the two middle, black ; the outer ones on 

 each side being tipped with white. Under parts on each side being ti^jpcd with 

 white. Under jDarts grayish-white. Length twelve inches and a half. 



THE HONEY-GTITDE.*' 



In the genus Indicator, Vail., llie bill is sliort, Iiigh, almost conical. The tail consists 

 of twelve feathers, and. is somewhat graduated, and at the same time a little forked. 

 The skin is described to be so hard and tough as to resist the assaults of most hymc- 

 nopterous insects ; but bees, which they incessantlj' torment, arc said to sting them in 

 the eyes. The species, few in number, are known by the name of honey-guides, and 

 inhabit Africa. The one mentioned by Hparmnn is said to attract the notice of the 

 iJutch and Ilottentots by a shrill cry oi rlier, rlicr ; and when it perceives itself observed, 

 it flutters onward to the hive of a wild bee, in hopes of partaking of the plundered honej'. 

 " I have had frecpicnt opportunities," he observes, " of seeing this bird, and liave been 

 witness to the destruction of several reijublics of bees, by means of its treachery. I liad, 

 however, but two oioportunities of shooting it, which I did to the great indignation of 

 my Hottentots." It may be here noticed, we hope without offence, that naturalists 

 themselves seem not seldom to belong to that irrituliilr (jcnitu^ of wliich poets are usually 

 supposed to form the greater portion. Thougli IJr. Sparmau was a frecpient eye- 

 witness of the curious instincti\e habits of tlie lioney-guide, yet Vaillant doubts if tliat 

 traveller ever saw the bird at all. He says tiiat the account is merely a repetition of the 



* liiilii;ilt>r \";iill;iii!ii. 



