The members of this family are for the most part of African origin, only two species being met with elsewhere, namely, in Southern Asia. Everywhere the Honey Guides occupy woodland districts, and live either in pairs or small flocks, which fill the air with their loud and pleasing cries, as they flutter from tree to tree. According to Heuglin, the most peculiar characteristic of these birds is their strange habit of endeavouring to attract the attention either of man or of some of their formidable four-footed neighbours, whenever they have the luck to discover an attractive object, such as a piece of carrion, teeming with a rich supply of insects, or a swarm of bees busy at their work. They are particularly fond of honey, though they frequently pay dearly for their venturesome attempts to rob the combs, being often stung to death by the angry swarm. When this fate attends a marauder, the bees cover the body with a vault of wax, and thus prevent any annoyance from its presence. The flight of the Honey Guides is heavy, and only capable of being sustained for a short distance, but they run upon the trunks and branches of trees with the utmost facility. Like the Cuckoo, the members of this group build no nest, but introduce their eggs into that of some Woodpecker or Oriole. THE WHITE-BEAKED HONEY GUIDE. The WHITE-BEAKED HONEY GUIDE (_Indicator albirostris_) is greyish brown on the mantle, and whitish grey on the under side. The throat is black; the region of the ear undivided, and indicated by a greyish white spot; a portion of the shoulder-feathers is streaked with black; the quills are greyish brown, the wing-covers broadly edged with white, and the shoulders enlivened by a yellow patch; the centre tail-feathers are brown, the next in order brown on the outer and white on the inner web, whilst those at the exterior are white tipped with brown. The body is yellowish white, and the foot brown. The body is six inches and a half in length; the wing measures four inches and a half, and the tail two inches and a half.