340 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



The trouble is one which obtains in all new countries, where 

 the settlers have to name new beasts; and is, of course, 

 primarily due to the fact that the terms already found in 

 the language originally applied only to domestic animals 

 and to European beasts of the chase. Africanders, whether 

 Dutch or English, speak of all antelope, of either sex, as 

 "buck." Then they call the males and females of the larger 

 kinds bulls and cows, just as Americans do when they speak 

 of moose, wapiti, and caribou; and the males and females 

 of the smaller kinds they usually speak of as rams and ewes. 

 While on safari to the 'Nzoi I was even more interested 

 in honey birds which led us to honey than I was in the 

 game. Before starting for Africa John Burroughs had es- 

 pecially charged me to look personally into this extraor- 

 dinary habit of the honey bird; a habit so extraordinary 

 that he was inclined to disbelieve the reality of its ex- 

 istence. But it unquestionably does exist. Every experi- 

 enced hunter and every native who lives in the wilderness 

 has again and again been an eyewitness of it. Kermit, 

 in addition to his experience in the Sotik, had been 

 led by a honey bird to honey in a rock, near Lake Han- 

 nington. Once while I was tracking game a honey bird 

 made his appearance, chattering loudly and flying beside 

 us; I let two of the porters follow it, and it led them to 

 honey. On the morning of the day we reached the 'Nzoi, 

 a honey bird appeared beside the safari, behaving in the 

 same manner. Some of the men begged to be allowed to 

 follow it; while they were talking to me the honey bird 

 flew to a big tree fifty yards off, and called loudly as it 

 flitted to and fro in the branches; and sure enough there 

 was honey in the tree. I let some of the men stay to get the 



