424 



THE GREAT HONEY GUIDE. 



to the spoil. It has been said that the birds intentionally ask the aid of mankind to dig out 

 the nests when the combs are placed in too secure a spot, and that they utter their peculiar 

 cry of "Cherr! cherrl" to call attention, and then precede their human assistants to the 

 nest, fluttering their wings, and keeping a few yards in advance. .That they do lead travellers 

 to the bees' nests is true enough, but that they should seek out human beings, and inten- 

 tionally bring them to the sweet stores, seems doubtful, though it has been affirmed by many 

 travellers. 



At all events, even up to the present time, whenever the Honey Guide does succeed in 

 leading the Hottentot to a store of honey, the men are grateful to it for the service, and do not 

 eat the whole of the honey, leaving some for their confederate. Neither will they kill the 



GREAT HONEY GUIDE. Indicator major. 



bird, and they are offended if they see any one else do so. Sparrman remarks that the present 

 species is seldom seen near Cape Town, as it cannot find a supply of its food so near the habi- 

 tations of man, and that he never saw any except on the farm of a single colonist, who had 

 succeeded in hiving some wild swarms by fixing convenient boxes on his grounds. 



One thing is certain, that the Honey Guide is by no means a safe conductor, as it will 

 sometimes lead its follower to the couching-place of a lion or tiger, or the retreat of a poisonous 

 snake. Gordon Gumming, as well as other travellers, testifies to this curious mode of conduct. 



The feathers of the Honey Guide are thick, and the skin is tougher than is usually the 

 case with birds, so that if the irritated bees should attack them, little harm is done unless a 

 sting should penetrate the eye or the bare skin around it. 



Honey Guides are found in various parts of Africa, India, and Borneo, and in all cases 

 their habits seem to be very similar. Two species are very common in Southern Africa, 

 namely, the bird figured in the engraving, and a smaller species (Indicator minor). The 

 nesting of both these birds is very similar, their homes being pendent from the branches 

 of trees, and beautifully woven into a bottle-like form, the entrance being downward. The 

 material of which they are composed is bark torn into filaments. The eggs are from three 

 to four in number, and their color is a brownish white. Both parents assist in the duties 

 of incubation. 



