HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 249 



artifices to come near enough to bite them ; and when it 

 could not lay hold of their legs, would fly at their moes 

 or petticoats. When discontented, it made a noife like 

 the barking of a whelp i and when pleafed or caretfed, 

 would utter a found like the fliaking of a rattle. 



The RATEL, 



defcribed by Mr Pennant under the name of the Fizzler, 



is a native of the Cape of Good Hope. -It lives chiefly 



upon honey, and is endowed with a wonderful faculty 

 of discovering the fecret retreats where the bees depofit 

 their ftores. About fun-fet, the Ratel is particularly at- 

 tentive in watching the motions of thefe induftrious in- 

 fects ; and, having cbferved their route, it follows with 

 great care the direction in which they fly. It is fre- 

 quently aflilted in difcovering its delicious booty by a 

 bird called the Honey-Guide, ( cuculus indicator ) which 

 is extremely fond both of honey and the eggs of bees ; 

 and, in the purfuit of its food, excites the attention of 

 the Ratel by a loud grating cry of cherr, cherry cherr ; at 

 the fame time flying flowly on towards the place where 

 the fwarm of bees have taken up their abode. The Ra- 

 tel follows the found with great attention ; and having 



