Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-28
HONEY BIRDS.
Some Superstitions About Them Held
by tho Natives.

From Cape EAgulhas, the most
southerly point of South Africa, to
the Zambesi river and from east to
west of that portion of southern Afri-
ca is to be found small gray colored
bird known to the Dutch hunters as
hoenig vogel or honey bird.
A hunter or traveller at times wilt
be astonished by the antics of this in
teIligent little bird, which alights on
the twig of tree, making a big noise
in chirpingS, incessant and shrill. AS
enc moves toward the noisy little
creature it makes slow flight to q
nearby tree and continues it's chirping;
follow it again and the same per-
formapce is gone through.
On one occasion at the Umzinguani
river, Mashonaland South Africa, l
noticed a honey bird calling us, and
when | told about the little fellow to
some Australians, who were among
our convoy of wagons and carts,
was heartily laughed at. Being quite
sure of my bird / told my doubters
to bring their rifles in case of game
and had one of our natives bring an
axe and bucket.
We followed /. the little fellow. 1t
went through its circle movements,
this time indicating the lower portion
of huge old tree, then settled on a
branch about 80 yards away and 81
lently waited. We at once saw the
entrance to this nest, although at
first the bees kept quiet, and taking
stock of the tree decided we could
handle the proposition, so at ence
started fire and tore out pieces OF
our coat Innings to make smudSes and
smoke the bees out.
When we thought sufficient smok-
ing had been done one of the boys took
the ak and began to enlarge the en-
trance. Our little guide watched these
operations in expeetant silence from
its nearby perch.
After we had filed our bucket with
good rich honey we took two or three
pieces of comb which contained young
white bees and placed them on a large
limb of tree some so yards away.
Looking round as we started for the
wagons we saw the honey bird with
another, evidently its better half. al
ready feasting on the young bees,
their share of the spoils. which one
at any rate had worked for.
Many superstitions arc atloat among
the natives regarding the honey bird
and the little fellow is often untustly
accused, as illustrated by the follow
ing story. An old native hunter told
me that Il honey bird was in the hab-
it of coming to the kraal every few
days and would lead no one but him
self out to bees nests.
nDa DIV through fbp stfiiancp OF
the bird, the old man robbed very
fat nest, but there were no combs
containing young bees, consequently
the bird had to go without its share of
the plumber For some time he saw
nothing of the bird. until one morn
ing it returned. calling as usual for
the man to follow. The old hunter
had a friend staying with him from
n neighboring kraal or village and
asked the caller to accompany him.
They followed the bird for about
two miles and came upon an enormous
python, which they killed and skinned.
returning to the kraal with the flesh
and hide of the snake and paying no
mere attention to the bird. The next
day it came again and seemed very
excited. flying quickly and in long
flights.
The two men followed for some
three miles, when from under some fan
palms a large male lion jumped up,
growled, and made off before the hunt
ers had time for sure shot, The old
man firmly believed that the little
bird had led him on to the snake and
the lion, hoping TO be revenged on
him for not feeding it on their last
bee-nesting trip.
/ asked the old hunter il he did not
think his encounters with the snake
and lion were merely due to coinci-
denee. for in a country where many
wild beasts live il is not such q mar
veleus thing to come upon some kind
of beast during walk. This idea the
old fellow Indignantly secuted, claim
ing the bird was revengeful and wick
ed. too have often had to disappoint
my little guide because there were no
young bees in the nest, but have never
come across anything dangerous while
following the honey bird.
While prospecting in Mazoe district.
Rhodesia. South Africa, 1 have fire.
quently bought earthen jars from the
natives for teaspoonful of salt
apiece. and by following honey birds
now and then and storing the honey
in the kettles / have had as much as
so pounds of pure honey in camp at
one time which in a few months be-
comes firm and crystallized and is a
wholesome food.-Forest and Stream.