128 ' PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1777. 



bishop being at Gotha in the year 1735, observed this portrait in the gallery of that 

 palace ; the proofs that were produced of its authenticity made him very desirous 

 to acquire it. He at length obtained it by a kind of theft which it was necessary 

 to commit on the cathedral of Warmia, in whicii there was a very old portrait 

 of one of the ancestors of the dukes of Saxe Gotha, who had been bishop of 

 that see, and whose picture was wanting in the duke's collection of the portraits 

 of his family. An exchange was accordingly made of the two originals, and 

 the bishop has since bequeathed that of Copernicus to his favourite 

 Mr. Hussarzewski. 



F. Descriplion of a Neiv Species of Cud-no. By Dr. Andrew Sparman, of 

 I he Rut/ (I I Academy of Stockholm, p. 38. 

 History of the Honey-Guide, or Cuculus Indicator.* — This curious species of 

 cuckoo is found at a considerable distance from the Cape of Good Hope, in the 

 interior parts of Africa, being entirely unknown at that settlement.-}- Tiie first 

 place where Dr. S. heard of it was in a wood, called the Groot Vaader's Bosch, 

 the Grand Father's Wood, situated in a desert near the river which the 

 Hottentots call T'kaut'kai. The Dutch settlers there have given this bird the 

 name of honig-wyzer, or honey-guide, from its quality of discovering wild- 

 honey to travellers. Its colour has notliing striking or beautiful ; and its size is 

 considerably smaller than that of our cuckoo in Europe : but in return, the 

 instinct which prompts it to seek its food in a singular manner, is truly 

 admirable. Not only the Dutch and Hottentots, but likewise a species 

 of quadruped, which the Dutch name a rate), are frequently conducted to wild 

 bee-hives by this bird, which as it were pilots them to the very spot. The 

 honey being its favourite food, its own interest prompts it to be instrumental in 

 robbing the hive, as some scraps are commonly left for its support. Tlie morn- 

 ing and evening are its times of feeding, and it is then heard calling in a shrill 

 tone cherr, cherr, vdiich the honey-hunters carefully attend to as the summons 

 to the chace. From time to time they answer with a soft whistle, wiiich the 

 bird hearing, always continues its note. As soon as they are in sight of each 

 other, the bird gradually flutters towards the place where the hive is situated, 

 continually repeating its former call of cherr, cherr. And if it should happen 

 to have gained a considerable way before the men, who may easily be hindered 

 in the pursuit by bushes, rivers, and the like, it returns to them again, and 

 redoubles its note, as if to reproach them with their inactivity. At last the bird 

 is observed to hover for a icw moments over a certain spot, and then silently 



* Cuculus Cauda cuneiformi, corpore fernigiueo-griseo subtus albido, humeris niacula flava, 

 rectricibus tribus exterioribus basi macula nigra. — Lath. Ind. Oni. 



^ It is also a native of the island of Ceylon. - ^ 



