HONEY-GUIDES 271 



toes, the first and fourth being directed backwards, while 

 the two middle ones are projected forwards ; in their 

 parasitic habits they also resemble the Cuckoos, but differ 

 in several marked structural characteristics. 



The wing is long and pointed, and not as in the Capi- 

 tonidae, short and rounded. Primaries nine in number, the 

 first one being almost as long as the second. The bill of 

 the adult is of medium length, fairly stout, and with a 

 slightly swollen formation towards the tip. The young 

 bird (fledgling) has a pair of sharp, strong tooth-like hooks 

 welded on to the end of the bill, one on either mandible. 

 These peculiar appendages apparently fall off when the bird 

 is nearly or fully adult, so we presume the use they have is 

 to assist the young Honey-guide to obtain a firm hold of its 

 foster brethren when ejecting them from the nest hole of 

 the rightful owners of the nest. These hooks on the beak of 

 the young bird are in themselves sufficient to relegate 

 the Honey-guides to a family of their own. The nestling 

 Indicator has the swollen nostrils characteristic of the 

 Cuckoo-nestling, but instead of being rounded as in the 

 Cuculidge, they are elongated and oval, being more in 

 the shape of slits. 



The stories told of the honey-guiding instincts of these 

 little birds are innumerable, dating from the days of Sparr- 

 man and Livingstone. They feed principally on insects and 

 honey. 



South Africa possesses five species falling under two 

 genera : — 



a. Tail of twelve feathers . . . . Indicator. 



b. Tail of ten feathers . . . . Prodotiscus. 



The White-cheeked Honey-guide {Indicator indicator) is 

 dark brown above, a golden-yellow patch on the shoulder ; 

 ear-coverts white, rest of cheek and throat black in the 



