THE THEORY OF MIMICRY 147 



bury's Kecords — pages 359-t^GO — '* As the result of a dis- 

 cussion wliicli arose in the Bombay papers about the year 

 1881 as to whetlier birds preyed on buttertties, the general 

 opinion expressed was Ihat it was comparatively rare for 

 them to do so. In common with some other members of 

 the Bombay Natural History Society, I determined to 

 watch and record results-' — 1884 none. 1885 one attempt 

 not repeated. 1886 one capture. 1887 none. 1890 no 

 record. 1891, November 14th, on the Kandy road be- 

 tween Trinkomali and Kanthalai; butterflies in great 

 numbers sitting on the wet mud by the road side ; chiefly 

 Pierimp (Cataphaga), but a few P. now ins with them. 

 These butterflies rose in clouds as one drove past. A bee- 

 eater, Merops ijJiilippinus, kept flying in front of my 

 carriage and taking specimens of these butterflies as they 



rose.*' He adds, ^' these bee-eaters were 



often seen catching Pierinie; in fact, it seems to have oc- 

 curred so often that I ceased to record the fact, for I can 

 only find this one reference. 



" Probably the attacks were always w^itnessed at tlie 

 beginning of the N.E. monsoons during the time of the 

 heavy rains, September to December,"- He also refers to 

 an incident of an ashy swallow shrike (Artanniis fuscus) 

 which he saw catching Crastia core, but he could not see 

 whether they were eaten. Crastia core is a Danaid 

 credited with most distasteful properties. 



Colonel Bingham's notes '' of attacks on butterflies by 

 wild Burmese birds " adds some important data. It prin- 

 cipally relates to the hawking of mobs of butterflies and 

 insects brought together by some attractive bait, which 

 afforded the birds specially favourable conditions for cap- 

 turing them. Naturally the birds would recognize their 

 opportunity and take full advantage of it. Colonel Yer- 

 bury's experience on the Kandy road, given above, is of 

 an exactly similar nature. The most wary butterflies, 

 such as our South African Charaxes, when feeding on an 

 exudation of sap or gum of some favourite tree, can be 

 readily approached and even caught with the fingers. TJie 



