84 



ELEMENTS OE OENITHOLOGT. 



as the representative. There are nineteen species in this 

 group, arranged in seven genera. These Birds go about 

 alone or in pairs, often sitting inotionless on a branch till they 

 dart off to snatch some insect. They appear to have a singular 

 habit of cutting away vfith their toothed bill, in a regular sym- 

 metrical manner, certain parts of the feathers of the tail. 



Another very small group, numbering about eleven species, 

 consists of Birds which are called Honey-guides or Indi- 

 cators, the majority of which come from Africa — about a 



Fig. 86. 



The Honey-guide {Indicator major). 



couple of species coming from India and the Malay Archipelago. 

 The species named Indicator major (which inhabits South and 

 West Africa) may be taken as a type. It is firmly believed 

 in Africa that these Birds -nill guide people to bees' nests, 

 and feed upon what honey may be left when the nests have been 

 successfully taken. They should, however, rather be called 

 Bee-guides than Honey-guides, since their object is to be able 



