TASTE III 



small particles will reject certain of them ; snails and slugs 

 show preferences and some are very conservative indeed in 

 their choice of food. 



The mammals — most of which have a delicate sense of 

 smell — also demonstrate the ability to taste ; but in monkeys 

 and apes which do not rely so much on their noses as, say, 

 wolves or foxes, it is still true that, given an unfamiliar kind 

 of food, this will be held near their noses before being put 

 into their mouths. This shows that even if their sense of 

 smell is not so finely developed as it is in other animals, their 

 noses are used first of all in deciding whether some food is 

 palatable or not. Wherever we go in our endeavours to 

 separate smell from taste we find that some overlapping 

 exists. Thus the chemical senses are the most complex and 

 difficult to define and understand. 



It is, however, important not to succumb to the tempta- 

 tion to interpret what a mammal may like in the way of 

 tastes and flavours by our own similar senses. Many mam- 

 mals — carnivores in particular — are attracted by smells 

 which to us seem revolting, and they will eat carrion with 

 every sign of relish. This does not mean that they have any 

 less tasting power, or degree of discrimination. 



Mention has been made of shrews and their musty odour 

 and unpleasant taste, and there are few mammals that will 

 normally eat a shrew. Watch your cat when it has been out 

 hunting and brings you home the trophies of its chase. 

 Shrews will often be caught, but I have never known a case 

 of one being eaten by a cat. Dogs, of course, are less finicky 

 than cats, yet they will also leave shrews uneaten, though they 

 will, if hungry, eat mice and voles. Foxes will do the same. 



A very interesting aspect of this taste/smell behaviour is 

 the way in which many carnivores deal with pregnant female 

 prey. I have noted this many a time with my dogs, cats, 

 tame foxes, and mongooses. All these creatures eat mice, 

 voles, rats and rabbits; and on occasions they will catch 

 pregnant females. A dog, if the size of a victim will allow, 

 will usually give a nip, a crunch and swallow the animal 

 whole and so will foxes, unless a vixen is breaking up food 

 for newly weaned young. Mongooses tear up their prey 

 before swallowing it. 



