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insects ; and that to obtain them it selected the company in which, as has 

 already been remarked, we always found it. According to the evidence 

 of the natives, it also frequently alights upon the ground, examines the 

 excrement of the Buffaloes, and from it collects certain articles of food. 

 Sometimes a number of individuals were observed associated with a herd 

 of the quadrupeds in question, frequently only one or two, and on many 

 occasions we encountered troops of Buffaloes without even one in 

 attendance. This bird, besides being of service to its huge associates, by 

 ridding them of many of the insects with which their skins are infested, 

 also performs for them another valuable service. On observing any 

 unusual appearance in the neighbourhood, its attention is immediately 

 directed to it ; and if alarm is eventually excited the bird flies up, upon 

 which all the Buffaloes instantly raise their heads, and endeavour to 

 discover the cause which had led to the sudden departure of the sentinel. 

 If they are successful in the attempt, and see reason to fear for their 

 safety, they take to flight in a body, and are accompanied by the birds 

 who fore-warned them of their danger. On the herd again halting to feed, 

 the birds return to their avocation, and pursue a course similar to that we 

 have just described, provided the like circumstances recur. We never 

 found this bird attaching itself to any quadruped but the Buffaloe, nor did 

 we ever find the latter with any other attendants." 



In Dr. David Livingstone's ' Missionary Travels in South Africa,' 

 (p. 545. 1857,) will be found the following interesting particulars respecting 

 this bird, which I give at length : — He says, " Buffaloes abound (Kalomo 

 river) and we see large herds of them feeding in all directions by day. 

 When much disturbed by man, they retire into the densest parts of the 

 forest, and feed by night only. We secured a fine large bull by crawling 

 close to a herd : when shot, he fell down, and the rest, not seeing their 

 enemy, gazed about wondering where the danger lay. The others came 

 back to it, and when we showed ourselves, much to the amusement of my 

 companions, they lifted him up with their horns, and, half supporting him 

 in the crowd, bore him away. All these wild animals usually gore a 

 wounded companion and expel him from the herd ; even zebras bite and 



