Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-04-21

sometimes infested. The sight of the bird
being much more acute than that of the
buffalo, II Is soon alarmed by the approach
Of any danger, and, flying up, the bufIa
loes instantly raise their heads TO discover
the cause which has led TO the sudden
flight of their guardian. They sometimes
accompany the buflaloes in their flight,
on the wing; at other times, they sit as
above described"
In the south of Africa, the Buphdga df
rfcdnd is exceedingly common; and Mr.
MOnteino relates that, i'm Angola, IL Is
very generally seen lowering about cattle
In his notes upon the species which is
known as the Oxbird, or Oxpecker, this
author says:
1t appears TO feed entirely on ticks
the stomach Of this specimen contained
no less than twenty Its flesh is very
dark -colored, strong-smelling, and its
blood extremely thick and dark. 1t Is
curious to watch the manner in which
they crawl all over the body of an OK or
large animal, under It's belly and between
its legs, which they are enabled to do by
their strong claws, tipped with exceed.
ingly sharp, hooked nails.
"The back is soft, of bright rcd at
the tip, graduating to bright yellow at the
base. l once saw a nest Of these birds
which they appeared 10 be finishing. 1t
was large, loose, Of dry grass, and nicely
lined with long hair, seemingly taken
from the tails of cattle. These birds were
constantly robbing the hair from the tail
of an old mare had at Benguella. They
will accompany herd of cattle only for
certain distance, when they will return
10 their usual locality; and others imme-
diately make their appearance and appear
to take charge of the herd"
Prof. Van. Beneden remarks that the
Oxpecker performs u surgical operation
each time that he opens with his lancet
the tumor which incloses the larva in the
midst of the buffalo's back" The bills
of the BuphGga are bulging toward tn.
end, and terminate obtusely--thus
enabling them TO compress the skin of an
imals, and force out the larvW of Oestrtdg
(bot-ilies), on which they feed With re-
gard to the attendance of the Oxpccker
upon the rhinoceros, DR.. Livingstone re-
cords the following interesting observa-
tions.
"This bird cannot be said to depend en-
tirely on the insects on that animal; for
its hard, hairless skin is protection
against all except few spotted ticks; but
1t seems TO be attached to the beast, some
what as the domestic dog is to man; and,
while the buffalo is alarmed by the sudden
fiying-up of its sentinel, the rhinoceros,
not having keen sight, but an acute ear,
is warned by the cry of its associate, the
Buphdgd AfricdRd. The rhinoceros feeds
by night, and its sentinel is frequently
heard in the morning uttering its we'll
known call as it searches for its bulky
companion. One species of this bird, Oh
served in Angola, possesses bill of pc
culiar scoop or stone fOrceps form, as if
intended only to tear of insects from the
skin; and its claws are as sharp as
needles, enabling it to hang on to an ami
mails car while performing useful ser
vice within it. This sharpness of the
claws allows the bird to cling TO the nearly
insensible cuticle without irritating the
nerves of pain on the true skin, exactly as
burr does TO the human hand; but, in
the case of the BuDhaga AJricana and
erythy0rhyled, other food is partaken of;
for we observed tlocks of them roosting on
reeds, in spots where neither tame nor
wild animals were TO be found. ."--ChicagO
Tribune,