i?*&. January. that they are taken from each other, or elfe from one and the lame Origifiah Many o f M. S I c I o l o e b r a n d ’S friends, and among them ! $ . N i c a n d e r , one o f the itcretaries of the ROyal Academy Of Sciences in Sweden, have feen a figure of the zerda re- prefented in its natural fize and colour, many years ago, in M. S k i o l d e b r a n d ’ s fuperh colleition; but could not per- fuade this gentleman to ornament the Swediih Tranfaifions with it before., as, the animal having unfortunately ef- eaped from him, before he could examine its teeth, and other particulars, he had waited a long time, though in vain, in hopes o f procuring fome better information from Algiers with refpeft to thefe points. M. S k i o l d e b r a n d could not find at the bottom of this creature’s large and beautiful ears, which were of a rofy hue, any traces of a perforation; indeed thefe perforations would eafily be filled up, and would confequently become very inconvenient to an animal like this, which is obliged to burrow and live under the fand. He fuppofes that providence has made good this defeft, by fome membrane lying not very deep in. the ear. Mr. P e n n a n t follows M. S k i o l d e b r a n d in the account he gives o f this animal in Vol. I. p. 2,48» at the lame time referring it to the dog genus. .The bee-cuckow, (cuculm indicator) which I made mention o f juft above, in defcribing the ratel at p. 18 r , deferves to have more particular notice taken o f it in this place. It has, however, nothing remarkable in it with regard to its fize and colour, as, on a curfory view, it appears in thefe points not to differ from the common fparrow; excepting indeed, 8 fiaat that it is fpmewhat larger, and rathgr. o f a lighter colour, with a little, yellow fpot on each fhpqldef, and the feathers o f its tail dafhed with white. It is, indeed, merely with a view to its own intereft, that this cuckaw difcovers the bees-qpfts tp man and the ratel race, as it is extremely fond bqth of honey and bees- eggs; and it. knows that when a bees-neft is plundered, fome o f it is ihed, which confequently falls to its ilrare, or elfe feme part is left by the plunderers as a reward for its fervices. Neverthelefs, the way in which this bird communicates to others the difcovery it has made, is as fur- prifing as it is well adapted to the purpofe. The morning and evening are probably its principal meal times; at leaft it is then that it fliews the greateft inclination to come forth, and with the grating cry o f cberr, cberr, cherr, to excite, as it were, the attention o f the ratej, as well as o f the Hottentots and colonifts. Somebody then generally repairs to the place whence the found proceeds, when the bird, all the while continually repeating its cry o f cherr, cherr, flies on flowly and by degrees towards the quarter where the fwarm of bees have taken up their abode. The perfons thus invited accordingly follow, taking great care at the fame time not to frighten their guide with any unulual npife, or by means of a large company, but rather, as I have feen done by one o f the ihrewdeft of my Bojhies-men, to anfwer it now and then with a foft and very gentle whiffle, by way of letting the bird know that its call is attended to. I have obferved, that when the bees-neft was at a good dif- tance, the bird, for the moft part, made long ftages, or B b 1 flights, . '.Z76- January.
27f 72-2
To see the actual publication please follow the link above