THE HONEY RATEL 
to do it justice on paper), The Honey Guide 
understands, and having, with undulating flight, 
sought another tree some thirty yards further on, 
renews his invitation. Keeping quite still, and 
looking steadily, you presently spy a little grey and 
black form, moving along at a steady jog-trot ; 
the tail is carried slightly above the level of the 
back, and the head, except when raised to glance 
up at the guide, is held a little low. Every time 
the bird utters his monotonous refrain, which, trans- 
lated into feathered language, means, ‘ Come along, 
come along, don’t be slow,’ the follower replies, 
‘ All right, my friend, don’t be alarmed, 1 am 
coming.’ And thus the strange procession passes 
on out of sight to the hollow log where the unlucky 
insects are industriously slaving, only ultimately to 
satisfy the appetites of bird and beast. When 
following the Honey Guide, the natives of many 
tribes in Africa endeavour to imitate the curious 
whistling and chuckling sounds of the ratel; 
though indeed the bird appears to require but little 
encouragement to keep it to its work.” 
' When a ratel is pursued it takes refuge in a rock 
crevice, a hole, or in the midst of some dense 
thorny scrub. In these situations it is exceedingly 
difficult and often impossible to dislodge, even with 
the aid of several good dogs, for its strength is great 
and its skin impervious to the bites of the dogs ; 
and moreover it is no mean foe, for when brought 
to bay it fights to the death. It bites in a most 
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