154 INDICATORID.E INDICATOR 



at a bee-hive for this purpose. Ayres also found caterpillars in the 

 stomach of one example examined by him. Layard was informed 

 by Mr. Atmor^ that it killed and devoured other small birds such 

 as sparrows; this probably is an exaggeration, but the Woodwards 

 confirm it to a certain extent, stating that it is pugnacious and that 

 they have often observed it hunting small birds. 



Like the others of this genus this Honey Guide has a chatter- 

 ing cry, constantly used to attract the honey-loving native towards 

 the bees' nest. 



There can be little doubt about its parasitic habits ; Layard was 

 informed by Atmore that the eggs were laid in the nests of the 

 Olive Woodpecker (Mesopicus griseocephalus) , or the Pied Barbet 

 (Tricholcema leucomelan), while Mrs. Barber states that the little 

 Tinker bird (Barbatula pusilla) acts as an involuntary host. Mr. Ivy 

 writes, that on one occasion in October, in a gorge near Blue 

 Krantz in the Uitenhage district, he saw a Honey Guide fly to a hole 

 in the trunk of a tree and endeavour to enter. It was, however, 

 opposed in this by a male Barbet (Lybius torquatus), which was 

 shortly afterwards joined by a female ; the Honey Guide was soon 

 hustled out and flew off across the gully followed by the female 

 Barbet chattering and fighting all the while. In about five minutes 

 the Honey Guide re-appeared, and the same scene took place and 

 this continued for about an hour. All three birds were then shot. 

 The Honey Guide was found to have an egg actually protruding 

 from the vent ; it was covered with skin, doubtless the evaginated 

 lower portion of the oviduct. The egg itself was unbroken, it was 

 very transparent and the yolk showed through. In the nest itself 

 were two of the usual white eggs of the Barbet quite fresh. 



Mr. A. Millar has also had much the same experience with this 

 bird. He writes: "On December 17, 1899, when nesting near 

 Durban I noticed two Barbets (Lybius torquatus) flying backwards 

 and forwards carrying something in their mouths, and on approach- 

 ing the tree saw the hole which the Barbets entered. I carefully 

 watched them going in and out with food, and opening the hole 

 was much surprised to find a young Indicator minor alone in the 

 nest nearly full fledged, which no doubt had been reared by the 

 Barbets. On the same day I came across the nest of another 

 Barbet of the same species with the usual four eggs, and in addition 

 a white glistening spherical egg measuring 0'85 x 0-78, which was 

 evidently foreign to the clutch and had been almost certainly laid 

 by the Honey Guide. 



