168 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
151. Inpicator masor. White-backed Honey-Guide. 
In November, 1865, while at Tygerhoek, on the River Zonder 
End, we shot a specimen clinging to the upright branch of a tree 
‘like a Woodpecker. We subsequently saw a single bird at the 
entrance of Cogman’s Kloof in December, and fancy it is pretty 
generally distributed throughout the colony. 
Le Vaillant found this species and J. variegatus, which he mistook 
for the female, all along the South-Eastern Coast, as far as Kaffraria. 
We have received it from Messrs. Atmore and Gairncross, killed at 
Swellendam and George. Le Vaillant states they build in holes of 
trees, and lay four white eggs, and Mrs. Barber says that they place 
their eggs in the nests of Pogonorhynchus torquatus, which is 
common at Highlands. The same lady writes with respect to the 
alleged habit of the bird leading to a snake or a leopard :—‘ What 
I wrote to you in a former letter is the opinion of many old bee- 
hunters in this part of the country, who have no faith in the popular 
belief, that leading to the leopard is done on purpose. My nine 
brothers, who were all brought up in this country, were all of them 
great hunters, as well as sportsmen; and during all the years of 
their experience while they were living at Tharfield, where bees’ 
nests were exceedingly plentiful, and where they were constantly in 
the habit of following these birds, never once did the Honey-Guide 
ever lead them, purposely, to any noxious animal. Many times in 
following the bird through dense woods have they started various 
kinds of creatures; but if they did not neglect the bird for the 
purpose of hunting, she would continue her flight towards the bee’s 
nest, regardless of the startled animals. One of my brothers once, 
while following a Honey-Guide through a dense forest near the 
Kowie, passed directly through a drove of wild pigs. They were of 
course more frightened than he was, and rushed about in every 
direction ; but my brother knowing the popular belief, and wishing 
to test it, took not the slightest notice of the wild pigs, but passed 
on, keeping his eye on the bird, who went steadily on her way, 
until she arrived at the nest she intended to show, regardless of the 
pigs. a) 
“ T have other reasons for not believing the story. Why should the ° 
Honey-Guide waste her time in leading people to leopards, jackals, 
