KNYSNA 123 



Of the Little Honey-guide (Indicator minor) the late 

 Mr. E. L. Layard writes, his authority being Dr. 

 Kirk :- 



" The Honey-guide is found in forests, and often 

 far from water even during the dry season. On observ- 

 ing a man it comes fluttering from branch to branch in 

 the neighbouring trees, calling attention. If this be 

 responded to, as the natives do by whistling and start- 

 ing to their feet, the bird will go in a certain direction 

 and remain at a little distance, hopping from one tree 

 to another. On being followed it goes further ; and so 

 it will guide the way to a nest of bees. When this is 

 reached it flies about but no longer guides ; and then 

 some knowledge is needed to discover the nest even 

 when pointed out to within a few trees. I have known 

 this bird, if the man after taking up the direction for a 

 little then turns away, come back and offer to point out 

 another nest in a different part. But if it does not know 

 of two nests it will remain behind. The difficulty is, 

 that it will point to tame bees in a bark hive as readily 

 as to those in the forest. This is natural, as the bee 

 is the same ; the bark hive, " Musinga," as it is named, 

 being simply fastened up in a tree and left for the bees 

 to come to. The object this bird has in view is clearly 

 the young bees. It will guide to nests having no honey, 

 and seems equally delighted if the comb containing the 

 grubs be torn out, when it is seen pecking at it." 



Respecting the White-backed Honey-guide (Indi- 

 cator major), quoting Mrs. Barber as his authority, the 

 same writer says, with regard 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 



