NESTLING HONEY-GUIDES 199 



was a desperate^ one, for when she was shot the egg 

 was found to be actually half-laid. No doubt it is 

 an emergency like this in the case of the common 

 Cuckoo which accounts for the egg being found in 

 such unlikely and unsuitable nests as those of the 

 Wood-Pigeon and, of aU others, the Dabchick ! 

 The strong tendency of the Honey-guides to 

 sponge on their own relatives, the Barbets, is 

 noticeable ; the present species has been said to 

 lay in the nests not only of those mentioned, but 

 also in those of the Pied Barbet {Tricholeema leuco- 

 melan), and of a Woodpecker {Mesoficus griseo- 

 cephalus). 



It is of interest here to note that the plumage of 

 the Honey-guides is plain and ordinary in character 

 in all the species, resembling that of the less con- 

 spicuous Finches, and not- in the least like the 

 striking and often variegated tints of the fosterers 

 they select. They appear, however, always to use 

 the nests of birds which lay white eggs, though their 

 own are distinguishable from these readily enough. 



The young Holiey-guide has the ends of both 

 jaws sharply hooked, which is not the case with 

 the adult ; it is supposed that this structure is 

 comparable to the hollowed back of the young 

 Cuckoo, an adaptation to facilitate the ejection of 

 the foster-fellow-nesthngs, in this case to ensure a 

 strong grip with the beak. The young Honey- 

 guide certainly seems when found to have the nest 

 to itself, like some young Cuckoos and Cow-birds, 

 but it must be remembered with regard to the 



