ORB. IN^ESSORES. 



FAM. PICID.^. 



GEN. INDICATOR. 



PLATE L. 



INDICATOR XANTHONOTUS—BLYTH. 



YELLOW BACKED HONEY GUIDE. 



I CONSIDER the discovery of this bird at Darjeeling as one of the most 

 interesting among the numerous novelties Mr. Blyth has had occasion to describe 

 during his sojourn in India.* The only recorded species belong to Africa, and the 

 interest attached to their peculiar habits has been recorded by several travellers in 

 that country, and has I believe been confirmed by recent writers. For the informa- 

 tion of such as have not had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with these 

 peculiarities, I may here mention, that the common African Honey Guide (Indicator) 

 is said to direct the negroes by a peculiar cry or whistle to the tree where the bees 

 have taken up their residence, advancing before them by longer or shorter flights 

 according to the greater or less distance of the object of pursuit. As it approaches 

 the tree, its flights become more limited, its whistle is repeated at shorter intervals, 

 and at last, having brought its associates to the desired spot, it hovers over it for a 

 moment as if to mark it out distinctly, and then quietly takes up a station at a 

 little distance, waiting the result, and expecting its share of the booty, which it 

 never fails to obtain. It would be interesting to know if our Indian Honey Guide 

 has similar habits with its African congeners, and it is hoped that some resident 

 at Darjeeling will endeavour to obtain some information on this subject. 



I add a description of our bird. 



Plumage generally of a dusky brown, tinged with green on the crown and 

 back of the neck ; forehead and throat pale yellow ; rump fine golden yellow ; beneath 

 ashy with dark streaks ; the lower tail-coverts blackish ; tertiaries margined with 

 white. Bill horny brown. Legs dusky. 



Length 6 inches — wing Sfths — tail 2% — tarsus 5. 



» Vide J. A. S., Bengal, 1842, page 166. 



