RESEMBLANCES AMONG ANIMALS. 119 



the Field newspaper, begging that some of its readers 

 would co-operate in making observations on what in- 

 sects were rejected by birds, at the same time fully 

 explaining the great interest and scientific importance 

 of the problem. It is a curious example of how few of 

 the country readers of that paper are at all interested 

 in questions of simple natural history, that I only 

 obtained one answer from a gentleman in Cumber- 

 land, who gave me some interesting observations on 

 the general dislike and abhorrence of all birds to the 

 "Gooseberry Caterpillar," probably that of the Magpie- 

 moth (Abraxas grossulariata). Neither young phea- 

 sants, partridges, nor wild-ducks could be induced to 

 eat it, sparrows and finches never touched it, and all 

 birds to whom he offered it rejected it with evident 

 dread and abhorrence. It will be seen that these ob- 

 servations are confirmed by those of two members of 

 the Entomological Society to whom we are indebted 

 for more detailed information. 



In March, 1869, Mr. J. Jenner Weir communicated a 

 valuable series of observations made during many years, 

 but more especially in the two preceding summers, in 

 his aviary, containing the following birds of more or 

 less insectivorous habits: Robin, Yellow - Hammer, 

 Reed-bunting, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Thrush, 

 Tree-Pipit, Siskin, and Redpoll. He found that hairy 

 caterpillars were uniformly rejected ; five distinct species 

 were quite unnoticed by all his birds, and were allowed 

 to crawl about the aviary for days with impunity. The 

 spiny caterpillars of the Tortoiseshell and Peacock but- 



