MISTAKES OF INSECTS. 77 



i would be certain to deceive the inexperienced ; and 

 Majendie's servant actually fell an immediate vic- 

 tim to her desire of tasting the prussic acid which 

 she found in his laboratory. This would be consi- 

 dered perhaps a mistake arising from the artificial 

 habits acquired in society, by those who maintain 

 that animals, guided by instinct, never mistake poison 

 for food. But w^e may add another curious instance 

 or two of similar mistakes in the inferior races. 



The common earth-worm (Lumhricus ttrrestris) 

 is instinctively afraid of moles ; and no sooner does 

 it hear any subterranean noise, or feel any shaking 

 of the ground, similar to those indicative of the ap- 

 proaching movements of its enemy, than it makes a 

 speedy escape to the surface. Every boy knows how 

 to take advantage of this to procure fish-baits, by 

 thrusting a spade or a stake into the ground, and 

 moving it backwards and forwards, to imitate the 

 advance of a mole burrowing in search of prey. 

 1 The worm, unable from its instinct to discriminate 

 ! between its subterranean enemy and the spade, darts 

 I into day-light, and is instantly captured for the boy's 

 i bait-bag. The lapwing {Vaiiellus cristafus, Meyer), 

 it is stated by Dr. Anderson in his ' Bee,' is aware 

 of this instinctive fear in the earth-worm of sub- 

 terranean concussions or noises ; and when it can- 

 not find sufficiency of slugs*, &c. above ground, 

 it pats with its feet, till the earth-worms, mistaking 

 it for an advancing mole, come forth to be feasted 

 upon. 



It is well known that, whenever a hawk appears, 

 he is immediately surrounded by a host of small 

 birds, particularly swallows, which dart at him and 

 tease him, fop the purpose, as may be supposed, 

 of distracting his attention, on the principle that 



*" Nourriture ; — insectes, aralgii6e.s, vers, el petits lima^ons." 

 Temm'.nck:, Manuel d'Ornilhologie, p. 552, 2d edit 



