INDICATORID.l^ INDICATOR 149 



been eye witness to twice ; after which it sits in silence, and for 

 the most part concealed in some neighbouring tree or bush, in 

 expectation of what may happen and with a view of coming in for 

 its share of the booty 



" Having in consequence of the bird's directions, dug up the 

 bees' nest or otherwise come at it, and plundered it, they usually 

 by way of acknowledgment leave it a considerable portion of the 

 worst part, or that part of the comb in whicli young bees are 

 hatching." 



Sparrman goes on to say that he procured two examples, both 

 females, near the Great Fish river, in the neighbourhood of what 

 is now Somerset east. There can be very little doubt that the 

 story of the peculiar behaviour of the Honey Guide is perfectly 

 correct, as it has been corroborated by the evidence of nearly all 

 subsequent travellers, especially by those whose works are quoted 

 above. Ayres found the stomachs of examples shot liy him full of 

 bees' wax and comb. Butler shot one while pecking at the comb 

 of a wasps' nest. 



It seems probable that the birds of this family resemble the 

 true Cuckoos in being parasitic as regards their nesting habits. 

 Mr. Ivy states that he observed an example of this bird leave the 

 nest of a Swallow (Hirunclo albigularis) on November 4, and that 

 the nest was subsequently found to contain the two small white 

 eggs of the swallow, and a third larger oval one presumably 

 belonging to the Honey Guide. 



The skin of this bird is exceedingly tough and strong, almost 

 resembling stiff parchment ; possibly the object of this is to defend 

 it from the stings of the infuriated bees. 



445. Indicator major. Yelloio- throated Honey Guide. 



Le Grand Intlieatenv, male, LevailJ. Oi.i. (VAfr. v. p. 13'), pi. 241, 

 fig. 1 (1806). 



Indicator major, Stephens, Genh Zool. ix, p. 139, pi. 27, fig. 1 (1815) ; 

 Gxirnetj, Ibis, 1862, p. 33 [Natal] ; Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 241 (1867) ; 

 id. Ibis, 1869, p. 873 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 168, 810 

 (1876-84) ; Garrod, I>. Z. S. 1878, p. 930 (anatomy) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1879, 

 p. 297 [Rustenburg] ; Shelley, Cat. B. M. xix, p. 6 (1891) ; Bendall, 

 Ibis, 1896, p. 168 [Lydenburg] ; Sowerby, Ibis, 1898, p. 572 [Salisbury 

 district] ; Woodirard Bros. Natal B. p. 107 (1899); Ivy, Ibis, 1901, 

 p. 21 [Uitenhage]. 



