64 THE WONDERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



In this pursuit the ratel finds a very unerring guide and ally in the Cuculus indicator, or honey cuckoo, 

 a little bird, which, it appears, possesses the sagacity to know that both men and beast are partial to 

 the mellifluous stores of the bees. This little interesting bird, conscious of its own incapability to 

 attack a hive by its own individual prowess, very politically takes advantage of the propensity inherent 

 in others, and by a peculiar and alluring note, invites the ratel, or even the Hottentot himself, to 

 follow it to the spot where the treasure is deposited. Its first aim is to secure the attention of the 

 Hottentot or the animal, when it. flies slowly on before them, stopping at times until the pursuer comes 

 up with it ; it then takes another flight, continuing its enticing note, until having arrived at the des- 

 tined spot, it ceases to be heard, and perched on a tree in the vicinity, quietly waits for its share of the 

 plunder, which is the usual reward of its valuable services. 



On this subject a question naturally arises. Is it not probable that the Creator, who seems to have 

 destined the ratel for the destruction of the bees, may have bestowed on it a hide so much tougher 

 than that which he has given to other animals of the viverra genus, for the express purpose of defend- 

 ing it from the stings of the bees ? For were the animal not provided with this means of defence, its 

 destruction would be inevitable on the very first attack of an infuriated swarm. The toughness of his 

 hide appears to be his greatest safeguard, for when a hound endeavours to bite him, it can only lay 

 hold of the hide, which instantly separates from the ratel's body or flesh like a sack. Even when he 

 is laid hold of by the hind part of the neck, and near his head, the animal can, as it were, turn round 

 in its skin and bite its enemy. It is a remarkable circumstance, that such a number of hounds as 

 "would be able collectively to tear in pieces a lion of a moderate size, are sometimes obliged to leave 

 the ratel dead only in appearance. Mr. Barrow states, " that such is the tenacity of life of the rate], 

 that it is a species of amusement for the farmer to run knives through different parts of the body, 

 without being able for a length of time to deprive it of existence." On the other hand, Major Denham 

 w-as informed by the natives of central Africa, where the animal is indigenous, that a single blow on 

 the nose is sufficient to destroy it instantaneously ; and in those regions, it is said to possess so great a 

 degree of ferocity, as at certain seasons to venture singly to attack a man. 



In regard to the variety mentioned by General Hardwicke, he says, that he found it in several parts 

 of India, on the high banks bordering the Ganges and the Jumma, from which it rarely issues by 

 day, but prowls at night around the habitations of the Mahommedan natives, scratching up the 

 recently-buried bodies of the dead, unless the graves have been protected by thorny bushes, placed 

 over them for the purpose. It burrows with such celerity, that it will work itself under cover in the 

 hardest ground in the space of a few minutes. Its general food is flesh in any state, but birds and 

 living rats appear to be peculiarly acceptable. 



