THE HONEY-CUCKOO. 173 



nest has been opened, either by man or some 

 animal stronger than itself. Nature has endow- 

 ed it with so keen a scent for honey, that it can 

 discover the nests of the wild bees, however care- 

 fully they may be concealed. Thus gifted, the 

 indicator threads the mazes of the forest, and 

 traces the wild bee to its home; acting as a guide 

 both to man and a quadruped called the ratel, 

 leading them with the utmost accuracy to the 

 spot where the nectareous hoard is deposited. 

 Its mode of communicating the discovery it has 

 made, as related by Vaillant, is truly wonderful. 

 Morning and evening are its principal meal- 

 times. It is then that it usually comes forth, 

 and uttering its cry of cheer, cheer, cheer, seems 

 to invite the honey-hunters to follow him through 

 the pathless wilderness. This signal is gladly 

 hailed by the natives, or colonists, who may 

 chance to hear it; and some person usually re- 

 pairs to the spot whence the sound proceeds. 

 The bird watches the approach of the hunter, 

 and then flies slowly towards the quarter where 

 the bee's-nest is to be found, continually repeating 

 his cry of cheer, cheer, cheer. The hunter care- 

 fully follows his little guide, occasionally answer- 

 ing his call by a low, gentle whistle. As they 

 draw nearer to the nest, the bird reiterates his 

 cry with greater earnestness and frequency, as if 



