BIG GAME AND ITS BIRD-PROTECTORS 267 
stalker. In all such cases, however, the mischief is done 
by accident and not by design. 
That any birds should systematically set themselves 
to spoil sport by warning wild animals of the presence of 
man, appears inconceivable ; and the motives that actuate 
different species to give such alarm form an interesting 
study. 
The chief of these bird-nuisances, and the most 
persistent, is the little honey-guide (. Indicator ), a 
creature no larger than a sparrow, which latter it also 
resembles in colour and general appearance. 1 Now this 
HONEY-GUIDE. 
bird’s first object in life is to plunder the nests of wild 
bees and wasps—not for the honey, but for the larvae, 
the grubs and the young which these nests contain. 
But bees’ nests are fortressed in strong places—in hollow 
trees or clefts of rock quite beyond the reach of small 
birds. The honey-guide, however, has reasoned out 
this problem to a point conducive to its personal 
interests. A human being, the bird knows, cares nothing 
for bee-grubs ; but is not averse to a haul of wild honey. 
He is, it also knows, usually provided with hatchet and 
crowbar. Hence if that human being can be induced to 
follow the feathered guide to a bees’ nest, he will certainly 
1 The resemblance is merely superficial, for the honey-guide differs 
essentially from sparrows and all other small birds, particularly in 
being zygodactylic—that is, it has two toes in front and two behind, 
as is the case with parrots, cuckoos, etc. 
