There are in Africa, Australia, and in South America certain birds,
evidently not related ornithologically, that, because of their peculiar
habits, are known as "honey birds," the special traits of which afford
an interesting study in animal reasoning or instinct, as one may choose.
One of these, the species common to a large area in Central and South
Africa, mentioned by many travelers, has been briefly described by
that prince of realists, Dr. James Johnston of Brownstown, Jamaica,
in his superb work, "Reality vs. Romance in South Central Africa,"
on page 106. He says: "Our daily meeting with the honey birds served
to remove any skepticism I may have had in reference to this cunning
little creature. It is not much larger than a canary, and as soon as
man makes his appearance hops from branch to branch, making repeated
flights toward the traveler and then flying off in the direction
in which it appears to wish attention attracted, with a sustained
_chic-en, chic-en, chic-chur, chur_, returning again and again, until
its opportunity is awarded by someone accepting its invitation to
follow to the spot where is stored the--to it--inaccessible treasure.
It makes a great fuss, flying round and round and round, leaving no
doubt as to the whereabouts of its find. Sometimes there is no opening
to be seen; when the native proceeds to tap upon the trunk with the
head of his hatchet until he locates the hive. He then obtains the
honey by making a fire at the root of the tree, and, under cover of the
smoke, with his hatchet secures the prize. Then is revealed the reason
for the excitement of our tiny guide, who now comes in for its share of
the pickings."
Several explorers whose good fortunes have taken them well into the
interior of the Australian bush have described the somewhat similar
actions of a species of bird spoken of as being "nearly as large as a
crow" and evidently quite distinct from the African species. In Haiti
I have had opportunities of observing the like performances of a bird,
shy and elusive for the most part and only at all approachable when the
presence of honey renders it bold, which appeared to be closely related
to our northern cedar bird. And, if an eye not specially trained in
ornithology be not at fault, the same species is to be observed on the
mainland, along the middle reaches of the Orinoco, in Venezuela.
October turned my maple's leaves to gold;
The most are gone now; here and there one lingers;
Soon these will slip from out the twig's weak hold,
Like coins between a dying miser's fingers.
--_T. B. Aldrich._
[Illustration: ROOSTER AND HEN.
CHICAGO:
A. W. MUMFORD, PUBLISHER.]