148 INDICAT0RIDJ3 INDICATOR 



Newcastle, Oct. (Butler), Ulundi and Black Umfolosi in Zululand 

 (Woodward) ; Transvaal — Sabi river in Lydenburg, Aug, (Francis 

 in S. A. Mus.), Eustenburg dist. (Ayres and Gates) ; Ehodesia — 

 Upper Zambesi valley (Alexander). 



Habits. — The celebrated traveller Sparrman, after whom this 

 bird was subsequently named, was the first to discover, describe, 

 and give a relation of the habits of this remarkable bird ; his account, 

 though often quoted, is well worth repetition ; it is as follows : — 



"The Bee Cuckoo (Cuculiis indicator) which I made mention of 

 just above deserves a more particular notice. It has, however, 

 nothing remarkable in it with regard to its size and colour, as on 

 a cursory view it appears in these points not to differ from the 

 common sparrow, excepting indeed that it is somewhat larger and 

 rather of a lighter colour, with a little yellow spot on each shoulder, 

 and the feathers to the tail dashed with white 



"The morning and evening are probably its principal meal 

 times ; at least it is then that it shows the greatest inclination to 

 come forth, and with the grating cry of ' churr churr,' to excite 

 as it were, the attention of the Ratel as well as of the Hottentots 

 and Colonists. Somebody then generally repairs to the place 

 whence the sound proceeds, when the bird, all the time continually 

 repeating its cry, flies on slowly by degrees towards the quarter 

 where the swarm of bees have taken up their abode. The persons 

 thus invited accordingly follow, taking care at the same time not to 

 frighten their guide with any unusual noise, or by means of a large 

 company, but rather, as I have seen done by the shrewdest of my 

 Boshies-men to answer it now and then with a soft and very gentle 

 whistle, by way of letting the bird know its call is attended to. I 

 have observed, that when the bees' nest was at a good distance, the 

 bird for the most part made long stages or flights, waiting for its 

 sporting companion between its flight and farther exciting him ; 

 but flew to shorter distances and repeated its cry more frequently, 

 and with greater earnestness, in proportion as they approached 

 nearer the bees' nest. I likewise saw, with astonishment, what I 

 had been previously assured of by others, viz., that when this bird 

 has in consequence of its great impatience got too far ahead of its 

 followers it has flown back to meet them and with redoubled cries 

 has upbraided them for being so tardy. Finally, when it has come 

 to the bees' nest, whether this be built in the cleft of a rock, in a 

 hollow tree, or in some cavity in he earth, it hovers over the spot 

 for the space of a few seconds, a circumstance which I myself have 



