The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-11-19
HONEY GUIDES.


fyrfcan bros inat Lead wen 70 tne
Nests of Bees.
For many ages" says writer, "the
small birds which are known in Afri-
ca as honey guides have been in the
habit of leading human beings to the
nests of bees. The first notice Of the
kind of which / have knowledge Is in
Tobo's Travels In Abyssinia,' publish
ed by lie Grand in 1928. The moroc
or honey Bird says this author, is
endued with peculiar instinct or fac
ulty of discovering honey. When the
moroc has discovered any honey he re-
pairs Immediately to the roadside and
when he sees traveller sings and
claps his wings, making many mo-
lions TO invite him to follow him, and
when he perceives his coming flies be-
fore him from tree to tree till he comes
to the place where the bees have stor-
ed their treasure and then begins to
sing melodiously. The Abyssinian
takes the honey without falling to
leave part of it for the bird to reward
him for his information. Sparrman,
who travelled at the Cape in 1775-76,
gives also very good description of
the bird as observed in the southern
part of the continent.
1.-The honey guides lead human be-
ings to the nests of wild bees not so
much for the honey as for the grubs
or larvae found within the comb. The
natives are for the most part well
aware of this fact, and If they reward
the honey guide, which they usually
do to some grudging extent, break off
for 1t piece of the comb in which the
grubs are Matching. Sparrman has a
curious note upon this detail He says,
I was informed by my boshiesmen
| (bushmen), as well as by the colonists,
that man who makes 1t his constant
business to go after the bees should
not at first be too grateful and gener-
Gus to this officious bird, but leave for
| it only just as much as will serve to
stimulate its appetite, by which means
1t will be induced in hopes Of obtain
ing a more liberal reward to discover
another swarm of bees
when it desires to feed upon some
comb which it has discovered it makes
| its way to a human being, futters
to branch or from bush to bush or
from one ant hill to another until it
succeeds In attracting the mans atten-
| ton. During this time it utters shrill
cry of 'cherr, cherrr frequently re-
peated. If the man is a native who
understands its habits and is willing
to follow it he often gives a soft,
| soothing whistle and, taking with him
Ia Ratchet, accepts the restless little
creatures guidance. The honey guide
now goes on ahead, never keeping very
far away and always jealousy MOTTO
ing whether the man is really follow
| ing. At length the honey nest is reach.
ed and the birds object accomplished
While the native or natives attack the
nest and rifle the comb the bird still
futters about. chirping. When the busI
ness is concluded and the men depart
the honey guide descends from its
perch and helps itself to as much of
the larvae as it can find
when thus following honey guide
the native goes, as a rule, very quietly
taking care not to frighten his small
adviser. If the man by reason Of bush
or other obstacle travels, in the birds
opinion, too slowly it will repeatedly
come back to him, fly closely and an
grily about him and with restless twit
tiers and evident impotence urge upor
him the necessity of hurrying up"
Hunting the Maribou.
Hunting the marabou is attended
with great difficulty, as the bird pos
i sesses wonderful cunning and otter
contrives to outwit the most skiIlfu
hunter. With laughable dignity il
measures the ground between itseli
md its pursuer and takes very goot
care not to exhaust itself by too rapiC
/ flight If the hunter moves slowly the
bird at once adopts an equally easy
lace, but II the hunter quickens hil
steps the bird Is off like an arrow. L
is very difficult to get within CUR
range Of this calculating creature, bu
the natives adopt novel means o.
capturing II, which the bird, with al
its astuteness, is unable to compre
bend and falls an easy victim.
tempting morsel of meat is tied to tn,
end of long stout cord, which tn,
skillful hunter filings to a great dis
lance, as he would lasso, the bal
falling as near the fleeing bird as b.
can aim II. He then conceals himsel
hastily behind bush or crouches Low
on the sand The marabou, which al
ways keeps its eye on the hunter, see
ing him vanish, quietly stops and de
YOURS the bait, when 1t is easily Sc
cured by the hunter, who runs towar,
II, coiling the rope as he goes.