394' Recentli/ pnbUfiJicd OrnithoJogicnl JVurks. 



5 k Roosevelt's ' African Game-Trails' 



[African Game-Trails, an Account of the African Wanderings of an 

 American Hunter-Naturalist. By Theodore Roosevelt. London: John 

 Murray, Albemarle Street, W., 1910. 8vo, 584 pp.] 



Althougli we allo\y that the ex- President's account of his 

 travels and "shoots" cannot strictly be called a "Bird- 

 book," yet there are in it sufficient references to bird-life to 

 induce us to invite the attention of our ornithological friends 

 to its issue. Mr. Roosevelt's object was, of course, to com- 

 bine his shooting propensities with the supply of good 

 specimens of the larger " game-animals " to the great 

 American Museums at New York and Washington. In this 

 he was eminently successful, owing mainly, we believe, to 

 the able assistance rendered to his plans by two well-known 

 English sportsmen, Mr. Selous and Mr. E. N. Buxton, and 

 to the selection of his staff, and, we should add, to the able 

 help of the British officials in East Africa, who appear to 

 have shewn him every possible attention. 



But, dismissing for a moment the engrossing " big 

 mammals," we find it quite evident that the writer of this 

 vohmie has a keen eye for birds. Let us sec what he says 

 about the Honey-guides [Indicator) and their wonderful 

 liabits : — 



" While on safari at the 'Nzoi I was even more interested iu honey- 

 birds which led us to honey than I was in game. John Burroughs liad 

 especially charged me before starting for Africa to look personally into 

 this extraordinary habit of the honey-bird, a habit so extraordinary that 

 lie was inclined to disbelieve the reality of its existence. But it un- 

 questionably does exist. Every experienced hunter and every native 

 who lives in the wilderness has again and again been an eye-witness of 

 it. Kermit, in addition to his experience in the Sotik, had been led by a 

 honey-bird to honey in a rock near Lake Ilannington. Once, while I was 

 tracking game, a honey-bird made its appearance, chattering loudly and 

 living beside us. I let two of the porters follow it, and it led them to 

 honey. On tlie morning of the day we reached the 'Nzoi a honey-bird 

 appeared beside the safari, behaving in the same manner. Some of the 

 men begged to be allowed to follow it. While they were talking to me, 

 the honey-bird flew to a big tree fifty yards off, and called loudly as it 

 flitted about to and fro in the branches. Sure enough, there \vas honey 

 in the tree. I let some of the men slay to get it, but they found little 

 except comb filled witli gru))s. The natives believe that mi-fortune will 



