Habits of the Honey-bird. 289 
In a very few minutes all the occupants of the nest were 
destroyed ; but new comers were constantly arriving, which 
made close quarters any thing but pleasant. Not much cut- 
ting was necessary to lay bare a large portion of the combs, 
which were laid horizontally across the entire width of the 
hollow portion of the tree. The upper combs are always the 
freshest, and therefore the best, so we at once set to work to 
fill our three buckets with them. When these were all full 
to the top, there was still enough honey left to fill at least 
another three or four; for the combs went down to the very 
bottom of the tree, as we discovered by forcing down a long 
stick. There was already more than enough honey for all our 
wants, and the boys were confident that they could obtain 
fresh supplies in the same manner as often as they cared to 
follow the birds, so we left the remainder where it was for 
the bees which survived our felonious attack. Before leaving 
we carefully fixed a comb filled with honey on the nearest 
bush, and our late guide flew down and commenced his well- 
earned repast as soon as we had turned our backs on the spot. 
The Kaffirs would much prefer not to take any honey at all, 
than depart with their spoil and not leave a portion for the 
bird. ‘They firmly believe that if they thus defraud the bird 
of its just rights, it will follow them up, and at a future time, 
instead of leading them to honey, will entice them into the 
lair of a lion, or to a nest in which some deadly snake lies 
concealed. 
It is impossible to explain the marvellous characteristic of 
the Honey-bird, without crediting it with powers of reasoning 
which are almost human. No one who has once witnessed the 
manner in which the bird will persistently follow a waggon for 
miles, but will leave it and join the first man or men who leave 
the trek and evince a disposition to follow, can for an instant 
believe that the bird betrays the nest unconsciously. How 
the birds have acquired the knowledge that men desire honey, 
and that they have the power to gratify the desire by forcing 
open the hidden hoards—how they calculate, as they assuredly 
do, upon themselves reaping the benefit of being accomplices 
and instigators of the theft, and how they have learnt to lose 
SER. IV.—VOL. IV. Xe 
