GO Mr. C. F. M. Swynuertoii on 



A. natalica. A female A. natalica was then twice taken in 

 a very hesitating and gingerly fashion between the points of 

 the mandibles and let drop. Reoffered again repeatedly, it 

 was refused every time without tasting. A larval migratory 

 locust was taken with comparative readiness, but the bird 

 gave me the impression of considerable uneasiness, and he 

 now refused the female A. natalica, reoffered, repeatedly 

 and persistently. 



He was now huddled against the side of the cage with 

 feathers ruffled and an air of depression — the result, I could 

 not help thinking, of having slightly overstepped the safety- 

 limit in the matter of eating Aerseas. All had been very 

 much alive when offered, the majority caught within the 

 preceding hour or two, and the bird's bill was well bespattered 

 with their abundant yellow juice. Nineteen had been eaten 

 in all, but the intervals, which, often repeated, might enable 

 him to go on eating such insects indefinitely, have to be 

 taken into consideration. 



527. Feb. 28. — As usual, live butterflies with wings. Both 

 birds had previously had some locusts. 



A ate a male A. areca. 



An interval : then 7 A. natalica in succession (2>S S i 

 2 9 9 , and 2with sex not noted). 



A five minutes' interval, then ^ ^ A. acara. 



A ten minutes' interval, then a female A. natalica (that 

 refused yesterday). Then an unsettled five minutes, pro- 

 bably only in sympathy with B. Then the Amauris lohen- 

 gula handed him by B {y. below). Then, after another short 

 interval, a ? ^. natalica and a (^ JL. areca. 



In the afternoon (again after other food) he ate an 

 Amauris alhimaculata (snatched from B), and a few minutes 

 later two Acrcea acara, all readily. 



B, in the morning, ate 7 A. alhimaculata in succession, 

 was very unsettled and restless during a short interval, then 

 ate an Amauris lohengula (of similar appearance) readily 

 enough, a second and third less readily, a fourth more 

 readily^ a fifth after hesitation and a preliminary rejection. 

 She rejected a sixth, and on my reoffering it took it and did 



