Binls in ReJation to tlieir Prey. 79 



an object is not present in quantitj', that it was not eaten 

 under stress of hunger ? And even where it is present in 

 quantity, the performances of these Hornbills with rehition 

 to Datiaida, &c., show that we must still be cautious in our 

 deductions. 



Ckateropus kirki. 



5-43. May 29. — The Babbler captured the day before 

 3'esterday had to-day just eaten a small meal, but was pro- 

 bably still slightly hungry, when I offered him a Precis 

 cehrfi.ne and a Xeptis saclava. He accepted and ate each very 

 readily, crushing them before swallowing. 



544. June 5. — May 29th's conditions and acceptances 

 exactly repeated. 



545. June 14. — Hungry. Crushed and swallowed the 

 thorax of an Acrcea asema, but rejected the abdomen ; at once 

 rejected after tasting it an Acrcea aglaonice, pulled a wing- 

 less Panaida chrysippiis about for some time, and seemed 

 very doubtful about it, but finally abandoned it. He then 

 crushed and readily swallowed a male Mylothris agatldna. 



My impression was that the Mylotliris (as its acceptance 

 actually showed) was preferred to other butterflies. 



54(i. June 15. — Kept for a time without food, tasted and 

 at once Ye]eciQ(\ Acrcea terpsichore; battered and pulled about 

 for quite a long time a female Mi/lothris ogatldna, but finally 

 abandoned it; tasted and at once readily swallowed a Terias 

 hric/itta, a Precis celrene, and a Pyrameis cardui. 



I then placed in the cage a number of grasshoppers of 

 various species. The bird attacked th^em, and when he had 

 returned apparently satisfied to his perch I offered another 

 Perias. This was tasted and rejected, but a Pyrameis cardui 

 eaten with evident relish. 



Without doubt the order of preference was: (1) Pyrameis 

 cardvi (" Painted Lady "), (2) Terias hric/itta, (3) Mylotliris 

 agatldna (female), (4) Acrcea terpsichore. 



547. June 19. — Very hungry, some time without food. 

 Tasted well and readily ate a Terias hrigiffa, and gave a 

 j)rolonged trial to a Mylotliris agatldna, pulling it about for 



