THE SEARCHERS. 105 



but not unpleasing cry. Fruit and insects appear to form its principal means of subsistence. We 

 learn from Owen that he found a Quesal's eggs deposited in a hollow tree, about six feet from the 

 ground. Salvia is of opinion that the male does not assist in the work of incubation. 



THE CUCKOOS. 



The Cuckoos (Cucidida) constitute a very numerous family, characterised by a slender body, wings 

 of moderate length, a long, graduated tail, composed of from eight to twelve feathers, a slightly- 

 cui-ved, short, or medium-sized beak, with sharp margins, and comparatively long, powerful feet 

 furnished with short toes. The coloration of the plumage is too various to admit of any general 

 description. 



The HONEY GUIDES {Indicator) are a group of the above birds recognisable by their 

 comparative compactness of build, long wings, short tail, and strong beak. The beak, which does 

 not equal the head in length, is almost straight, and compressed at its hooked tip ; the small 

 powerful legs have the tarsi shorter than the outermost of the strong toes ; the long and pointed wing, 

 in which the third quill exceeds the rest in length, is usually of considerable breadth ; tlie tail, 

 composed of twelve feathers, is rounded at its sides, and slightly incised at its centre. The plumage 

 is thick and smooth. 



The members of this family are for the most part of African origin, only two species being met 

 with elsewhere, namely, in Southern Asia. Everywhere the Honey Guides occupy woodland districts, 

 and live either in pairs or small flocks, which fill the air wth their loud and pleasing cries, as they 

 flutter from tree to tree. According to Heuglin, the most pecuhar characteristic of these birds is 

 their strange habit of endeavouring to attract the attention either of man or of some of their 

 formidable four-footed neighbours, whenever they have the luck to discover an attractive object, such 

 as a piece of carrion, teeming with a rich supply of insects, or a swarm of bees busy at their work. 

 They are particularly fond of honey, though they frequently pay dearly for their venturesome attempts 

 to rob the combs, being often stung to death by the angiy swarm. When this fate attends a marauder, 

 the bees cover the body with a vault of wax, and thus prevent any annoyance from its presence. 

 The flight of the Honey Guides is heavy, and only capable of being sustained for a short distance, 

 but they run upon the trunks and branches of trees with the utmost facility. Like the Cuckoo, the 

 members of this group build no nest, but introduce their eggs into that of some Woodpecker or 

 Oriole. 



THE WHITE-BEAKED HONEY GUIDE. 



The White-beaked Honey Guide (Indicator albirostris) is gi-eyish brown on the mantle, 

 and whitish grey on the under side. The throat is black ; the region of the ear undivided, and 

 indicated by a greyish white spot ; a portion of the shoulder-feathers is streaked with black ; the 

 quills are greyish brown, the wing-covers broadly edged with white, and tlie shoulders enlivened by a 

 yellow patch ; the centre tail-feathers are brown, the next in order brown on the outer and white on 

 the inner web, whilst those at the exterior are white tipped with brown. The body is yellowish white, 

 and the foot brown. The body is six inches and a half in length ; the wing measures four inches 

 and a half, and the tail two inches and a half 



This species, which is met with from Southern Africa to sixteen degrees north latitude, subsists 

 almost entirely upon wild honey, and has obtained its name from the fact that it frequently materially 

 VOL. HI. — 93 



