SOUTHERN AFRICA. FISHES. INSECTS- 109 



lovely birds the glory of African ornithology : nor 



must the honey-guides (Indicator) be omitted ; those 



extraordinary guides to man in the discovery of the 



nests of the African bees. The numerous grosbeaks 



(Amadina Sw.) and weavers (Ploceus Cuv.) form a 



gay and interesting part of this order ; the latter being 



chiefly found towards the equinoctial line, while the 



former appear more numerous in the Cape territories : 



both genera, however, extend to India ; and there is a 



beautiful species of Amadina in New Holland. The 



republican grosbeak, famous for its social habits in 



living and building in large communities, belongs also 



to this genus. On the water birds our information is 



very defective ; but we do not, at this moment, recollect 



any genus which exclusively belongs to the southern 



coast. 



(155.) Regarding the ichthyology, the following ob- 

 servation of Mr. Burchell is peculiarly valuable, since 

 it indicates a marked difference in the distribution of 

 certain freshwater species. "Eels," observes this scientific 

 traveller, " are only found in those rivers which lie east- 

 ward of the Cape, while the Gariep silurus ($. Garie- 

 pinus, jig. 50.) is equally restricted to those on the 



50 



western side." This department of ^oology, however, 

 has been so totally neglected, that neither on this or any 

 other occasion can we collect any thing satisfactory on 

 the natural distribution of the groups. The reptiles of 

 Southern .Africa are, if possible, still more imperfectly 

 known than the fish. 



(156.) The insects of the virgin forests towards 

 Algoa Bay, and no doubt through the whole extent of 

 that coast, are stated to be in great variety. They 

 yield, however, both in number and beauty, to those of 

 Western Africa ; and few species among the Lepidoptera 



