---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Learning Kingdom's Cool Fact of the Day for July 15, 1998 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- What bird leads other animals to food? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The greater honey guide bird of eastern Africa (Indicator indicator) loves to eat honey but it can't open bees' nests by itself. So when it finds one, it goes looking for an animal called a ratel, or honey badger (Mellivora capensis). The bird calls out loudly, attracting the badger's attention. Then it flies toward the bees' nest, making sure the badger is following. On arriving, the badger tears open the nest with its strong claws, and badger and bird both feast on honey, beeswax, and bee larvae. The honey guide bird also knows about another species of creature that loves honey: humans! African tribesmen follow the birds for the same reasons. The scientific name of the honey badger starts with "mell-", a Latin root meaning "honey". For another great word with this root, see today's Cool Word: http://www.cool-word.com/archive/1998/07/15.html More about honey guides and badgers: http://www.geocities.com/~brockwatch/2melliv1.html http://www.geocities.com/~brockwatch/2melliv2.html Today's sponsor: Soleil Software <http://www.soleil.com> What is small, and brown, and has a BIG BLUE TONGUE? You'll find this and many other fascinating animal facts in Soleil's Web World -- and you could win free software! Click on an animal and learn all about it in Spanish, French and English. Then test your knowledge in the Animal Puzzler. Soleil Software publishes "World Learning" software which introduces children to the world's languages, cultures and wildlife. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Cool Fact of the Day list membership: 25,987 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To subscribe, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/join/ To unsubscribe, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/change/ To become a sponsor, visit http://www.tlk-lists.com/sponsor/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1998, The Learning Kingdom, Inc. http://www.LearningKingdom.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ************************************************************** Midnight Networks 200 Fifth Avenue * Waltham, MA 02451 Glen B. Glater Principal Sales Engineer Phone: (781) 890-1001 Fax: (781) 890-0028 mailto:[log in to unmask] http://www.midnight.com/~glen Midnight Networks WWW page http://www.midnight.com -------- Midnight Networks is hiring! -------- Come check out our job opportunities http://www.midnight.com/jobs.html mailto:[log in to unmask]