THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 77 



fragile crane's-bill (Geranium sanguineum), — there the Nubi- 

 genas occur in such countless thousands, that when I passed 

 my net along the edge of the cliff it came back full of them, 

 "looking," as Mr, Birchall truly says, "just like little red 

 bees ! " 



Z. Filipenclul(B. — I mention this common insect, because 

 there is a circumstance in connection with it which puzzled 

 me, and which, perhaps, some of your readers may be able to 

 explain. The moth occurred in immense numbers on Gari- 

 nish Island, on the short grass at the top of the cliffs of old 

 red sandstone, which form a barrier on the Atlantic side of 

 the island ; and one day I noticed that the top of the rock 

 and the grass was in one sheltered part quite crimson for 

 about twenty yards, and on examining closer I found that the 

 reason was that it was densely covered with the wings of 

 Filipendulae. After that I watched carefully for several days, 

 and distinctly saw numbers of birds — chiefly, I think, starlings 

 and buntings — catch the Filipendulae, neatly snip their wings 

 off, and carry the body away in triumph : sometimes I saw 

 two, and in one case three, incredible as it may appear, 

 caught by a single bird at the same instant. Now, the point 

 I should like explained is this: — Mr. Wallace, in his deeply 

 interesting Essay on " Mimicry, and other Protective Resem- 

 blances among Animals," speaks of the larva of Filipendulae 

 as one never eaten by birds; and from the very slight expe- 

 riments 1 have made on the subject, I have come to the same 

 conclusion. Then how and when is the change wrought that 

 alters the larva, which the birds find so unpalatable, into the 

 imago, which they evidently consider a hon houche ? Per- 

 haps you may be able to give me some information.* At any 

 rate, if I chance to be anywhere this season, where Filipen- 

 dulae is abundant, I will test the pupa at difi'erent stages, and 

 see what the birds say to it. In the meantime, pray excuse 

 this long digression. 



L. Complanula. — Four. Garinish Island, Kerry, 1870. 

 Also a few last season, near St. Clerans, Galway. 



* Thus courteously invited to say a few words on this interesting subject, 

 I may observe thnt cuckoos very generally feed on the larva of Zygajnse, a 

 fact perfectly familiar to practical entomologists. A well-known and univer- 

 sally -i-espected lei^idopterist told me he once saw more than thirty cuckoos in 

 one field, attracted by this their favourite food. Starlings also eat these larvie, 

 but do not make them so exclusively their food, eating insects of all kinds and 

 many fruits. — Edward Ncivmaii. 



