BIG GAME AND ITS BIED-PEOTECTORS 267 



stalker. In all such cases, however, the mischief is done 

 by accident and not by design. 



That any birds should systematically set themselves 

 to spoil sport by warning wild animals of the presence of 

 man, appears inconceivable ; and the motives that actuate 

 different species to give such alarm form an interesting 

 study. 



The chief of these bird-nuisances, and the most 

 persistent, is the little honey- guide [Indicator), a 

 creature no larger than a sparrow, which latter it also 

 resembles in colour and general appearance. ^ Now this 



bird's first object in life is to plunder the nests of wild 

 bees and wasps — not for the honey, but for the larvae, 

 the grubs and the young which these nests contain. 

 But bees' nests are fortressed in strong places — in hollow 

 trees or clefts of rock quite beyond the reach of small 

 birds. The honey-guide, however, has reasoned out 

 this problem to a point conducive to its personal 

 interests. A human being, the bird knows, cares nothing 

 for bee-grubs ; but is not averse to a haul of wild honey. 

 He is, it also knows, usually provided with hatchet and 

 crowbar. Hence if that human being can be induced to 

 follow the feathered guide to a bees' nest, he will certainly 



1 The resemblance is merely superficial, for the honey-guide differs 

 essentially from sparrows and all other small birds, pai-ticularly in 

 being zygodactylic — that is, it has two toes in front and two behind, 

 as is the case with parrots, cuckoos, etc. 



