LEADERS OP HERDS. 343 



food is partaken of, for we observed flocks of them roosting 

 on the reeds in spots where neither tame nor wild animals 

 were to be found. 



The most wary animal in a herd is generally the "leader." 

 When it is shot, the others often seem at a loss what to do, 

 and stop in a state of bewilderment. I have seen them 

 then attempt to follow each other, and appear quite con- 

 fused, no one knowing for half a minute or more where to 

 direct the flight. On one occasion I happened to shoot the 

 leader, a young zebra mare, which at some former time 

 had been bitten on the hind-leg by a carnivorous animal, 

 and, thereby made unusually wary, had, in consequence, 

 become a leader. If they see either one of their own herd 

 or any other animal taking to flight, wild animals invariably 

 flee. The most timid thus naturally leads the rest. It is 

 not any other peculiarity, but simply this provision, which 

 is given them for the preservation of the race. The great 

 increase of wariness which is seen to occur when the females 

 bring forth their young, causes all the leaders to be at that 

 time females; and there is a probability that the separa- 

 tion of sexes into distinct herds, which is annually observed 

 in many antelopes, arising from the simple fact that the 

 greater caution of the she antelopes is partaken of only by 

 the young males, and their more frequent flights now have 

 the effect of leaving the old males behind. I am inclined 

 to believe this, because they are never seen in the act of 

 expelling the males. 



December 2, 1855. — We remained near a small hill, called 

 Maundo, where we began to be frequently invited by the 

 honey-guide, (Cuculus indicator.) Wishing to ascertain the 

 truth of the native assertion that this bird is a deceiver, 

 and by its call sometimes leads to a wild beast and not to 

 honey, I inquired if any of my men had ever been led by 

 this friendly little bird to any thing else than what its 

 name implies. Only one of the one hundred and fourteen 

 could say he had been led to an elephant instead of a hive. 

 I am quite convinced that the majority of people who 



