ANIS. 473 



proceeds to fly, and sometimes leads thus for great distances till it 

 reaches the place where the hive is, which it takes care to point out 

 by every means in its power. Whilst the honey is being taken, the 

 bird remains in the neighbourhood, observing all that passes, and 

 when that work is accomplished, it approaches to reap the fruits of 

 its trouble, The bees make very little buzzing, but flutter round, 

 trying to sting it (but its skin is impervious to their efforts). 

 Often, however, the despoiled bees attack its eyes, and sometimes 

 succeed in blinding it : the unfortunate bird, incapable of guiding 

 itself, then perishes in sight of the place that witnessed its 

 triumph. The Hottentots esteem Indicators very highly on account 

 of the services which they render them in revealing the abodes of 

 bees, and therefore scruple to kill them. 



The group of Cuckoos is supplemented by several more species 

 nearly allied to the genus Cuckoo, upon which it is useless for 

 us to enlarge. These are Courols, Coccyzus, Couas, and Guiras. 

 All these birds are strangers. 



ANIS have bulky, short, very compressed beaks, surmounted by 

 a slight and sharp crest. They inhabit the countries of Equatorial 

 America, and live in troops of from thirty to forty in the midst of 

 savannahs and marshes. They feed upon reptiles and insects ; they 

 are often seen to alight upon cattle to devour the insect parasites 

 which torment them. Hence comes their scientific name of 

 Crotophaga (Linn.), or eaters of insects. They are of very gentle, 

 confiding natures, and the sight of man does not frighten them ; 

 besides, there is no advantage in killing them, for their flesh 

 exhales a repulsive odour. Taken young, they become very familiar, 

 and are as quick as Parrots in learning the art of speaking. They 

 possess the instinct of sociability in the highest degree ; so much 

 so, that they do not even isolate themselves at pairing-times as 

 other birds do. They build a common nest either in the trees or 

 bushes, in which all the females lay and sit on their eggs. 

 This nest is sometimes divided by walls into a certain number of 

 compartments, each of which belongs to a female, but generally 

 all the eggs are mixed, and the females cover them indiscrimi- 

 nately. This admirable understanding does not cease after the 

 young are hatched. These are nourished by all the mothers 



