THE HONEY-GUIDES 125 



courtship posturing is not a very significant or vital element of the 

 breeding cycle in the greater honey-guide. 



Indeed, my own observations, and those of my field companions in 

 the eastern Cape Province, lead to the conclusion that the usual 

 picture involves no display at all, but, on the contrary, reveals a most 

 peculiar and unusual arrangement. To put it very briefly, it is this: 

 The male chooses a conspicuous tree, usually overlooking a consider- 

 able expanse of countryside, and returns there day after day, usually 

 being in constant residence at this post from about 8 a. m. until about 

 4 p. m. During these eight hours he gives his "song," a series of 

 eight to ten vic-tor or whit-purr notes at intervals of from half a minute 

 to a minute and a half. In my experience it is only when "singing" 

 from such a call post that he gives these notes which are very different 

 from the guiding chatter, and during the hom-s that he spends on the 

 call post the male cannot be lured or induced to do any guiding. The 

 females come to the call posts to be served, copulation takes place 

 there, and then the sexes separate again. While one tree, usually the 

 one commanding the widest view, is the chief call site, other trees 

 within a short distance are also used as secondary posts. There is 

 nothing at all in the nature of any companionship between the sexes; 

 a momentary union and they part, the male going on with his vic-tor 

 notes from his perch as soon as the hen has flown away. From a 

 number of observations by Skead, Kanger, and myself in the eastern 

 Cape Province, it is clear that not only do several hens come to the 

 same cock bird, but also that the call post, or, as it might well be 

 called, the stud post, is not the exclusive domain of any one individual 

 male but is used by any male in the area, and may even be used by 

 two at the same time without any sign of "jealousy" or "rivalry" 

 between them. 



Ranger made some observations at such a favorite call post in which 

 he placed a mounted specimen of an adult male honey-guide. On his 

 retm*n to the tree the male bird proceeded to call in his usual way but 

 after a little while became inquisitive about the mounted bird so near 

 him. He went closer to it, hopped around it uttering a clucking sound. 

 He did not go nearer than about six inches from it and soon seemed to 

 lose interest and returned to his usual twig, and then flew out of the 

 tree. In his absence an immature bird came to the call tree and 

 showed interest in the mounted bird at once, sat beside it and pecked 

 at it vigorously, first at the head, then the back and wings. As 

 Ranger moved to get a better view the bird flew off and disappeared. 

 A minute later, 11:45 a. m., the adult male returned, showed a little 

 curiosity in the mounted bird but did not examine it closely, and for 

 the most part disregarded it and sat quietly. At 12:21 he mounted 

 higher and nearer to his accustomed perch. At 12:29 for the first time 



