1 5 1 . I ndicator major. White-backed Honey-Guide.
In November, 1865, while at Tygerhoek, on the River Zonder
End, we shot a specimen clinging to the upright branch of a tree
like a Woodpecker. We subsequently saw a single bird at the
entrance of Cogman’s Kloof in December, and fancy it is pretty
generally distributed throughout the colony.
Le Yaillant found this species and I. vcvnegatus, which he mistook
for the female, all along the South-Eastern Coast, as. far as Kaffraria.
We have received it from Messrs. Atmore and Cairncross, killed at
Swellendam and George. Le Yaillant states they build in holes of
trees, and lay four white eggs, and Mrs. Barber says that they place
their eggs in the nests of Pogonorhynchus torquatus, which is
common at Highlands. The same lady writes with respect to the
alleged habit of the bird leading to a snake or a leopard :—“ What
I wrote to you in a former letter is the opinion of many old bee-
hunters in this part of the country, who have no faith in the popular
belieij that leading to the leopard is done on purpose. My nine
brothers, who were all brought up in this country, were all of them
great hunters, as well as sportsmen; and during all the years of
their experience while they were living at Tharfield, where bees'
nests were exceedingly plentiful, and where they were constantly in
the habit of following these birds, never once did the Honey-Guide
ever lead them, purposely, to any noxious animal. Many times in
following the bird through dense woods have they started various
kinds of creatures; but if they did not neglect the bird for the
purpose of hunting, she would continue her flight towards the bee's
nest, regardless of the startled animals. One of my brothers once,
while^ following a Honey-Guide through a dense forest near the
Kowie, passed directly through a drove of wild pigs. They were of
course more frightened than he was, and rushed about in every
direction; but my brother knowing the popular belief, and wishing
to test it, took not the slightest notice of the wild pigs, but passed
on, keeping his eye on the bird, who went steadily on her way,
until she arrived at the nest she intended to show, regardless of the
pigs.
u I have other reasons for not believing the story. Why should the
Honey-Guide waste her time in leading people to leopards, jackals,
wolves, and so forth ? These creatures are not her natural enemies ;
she would gain nothing by doing it—no advantage whatever; and
I have ever found that in nature there is nothing done in vain, or
in an empty purposeless manner. There is always a reason for the
peculiar habits and actions of birds and animals of all kinds; and
therefore why should a bird, which does not even rear her own
young, and has not' the care of a nest, fear or care about these
animals ? Why should the Honey-Guide, unlike all animals, do this
thing without any reason for doing it ?
“ And again, when the bird has arrived at the nest she intends to
show, there is an alteration in the notes of her voice. An old bee-
hunter knows this in an instant, and knows when he ought to
commence searching for the nest. Now this alteration never takes
place when animals of various kinds are startled in passing through
the forest while following the bird. Hence I conclude that she does
not intend to show where these creatures are, or the alteration in
her voice would take place."
General colour above, brown, with a tinge of yellow on the forehead;
ear-coverts whitish, and beneath them a dark-brown line;
chin, throat, and neck, yellow, fading into white on the sides, belly,
and vent; thighs immaculate. The tail, as in I. variegatus, consists
of twelve feathers, thus marked : first centre pair all brown; second
pair following, brown, with terminal half of the inner web white; the
three outer pair, with the tip and outer lower portion of the outer
web, brown; the outer pair very short. Size similar to that of
J. va/riegatus.
The white rump of this species renders it liable to be mistaken for
I. sparrmanni, but it may be told at once by its uniform whitish
flanks which have no brown streaks, by the yellow wash on the head,
and by the absence of a yellow shoulder patch.
Fig. Vieill. Gal. Ois. pi. 46.
152. I ndicator m in o r . Little Honey-Guide.
This little species is by far the best known of the African
Indieatoridce. Yictorin obtained his specimens in the Karroo in
January, and at the Knysna in December. Le Yaillant gives the
Swartkop and Sunday's Rivers as other localities, and it probably
extends all along the south-east coast.