The Bionomics of South African Insects. 389 



mcsentinct after them. Apart from these examples of 

 hesitation, disappointment, and refusal in part or complete, 

 the baboons ate many species oi PieriniB {Teracolus, Colias, 

 Terias, Bclcnois, Cato'psilia) and JVymphalin/B (Junonia, 

 Precis, Pyramcis, Atelki, Hypolimnas), but refused to touch 

 the larva of Precis sesamus. Considering what has been 

 already argued about insect-eating animals in confinement, 

 the acceptances (excluding the KesjJcricLv) probably do not 

 justify the conclusion that the Lepidoptera were palatable, 

 or that they would be sought for in the wild state except 

 under the stress of hunger. The treatment of the larva 

 oi Bclcnois mcscntina certainly seems to indicate palatability 

 to the baboon, and also that it was a first experience of 

 this caterpillar. 



The experiments with Hymenoptera are particularly 

 valuable; for although MutiUicliG and BraconidcX are so 

 greatly mimicked, there is practically no direct evidence 

 that they are refused by insect-eaters. 



The fact that the two large species of Hemiptera were 

 eaten, in one case " with great avidity," is a further example 

 of the failure of a mode of defence which produces a great 

 impression upon man, viz. the emission of an odour offensive 

 to us. The suspicion created by the conspicuous spiders 

 was probably due to unpleasant experiences of insects 

 with a similar combination of colours. 



The numerous experiments with Coleoptera are excep- 

 tionally interesting. I have below tabulated the results 

 under A, acceptances, and B, rejections. It is seen that 

 the species of the following groups were refused without 

 any exceptions : — Lycidm, IlelyricLv, Gantharidiv, Cocci- 

 nellidc'B, and ScarahcidcV, while those belonging to the 

 Butelidse, BtiprestidcV, and CurctdionidcV were invariably 

 accepted. The uniform refusal of five species of Scarabeids 

 is somewhat surprising, but all of them possessed iridescent 

 colours. Of the six Getoniidie offered, four were always 

 refused, two being sometimes rejected and sometimes eaten. 

 The only Phytophaga eaten were two Clythrid/e of the 

 genus Pcpilo'ptcra, and one of these was refused at first. 

 The cryptic Heteromera were accepted, although one of 

 them was smelt and refused on one occasion ; the iridescent 

 species was rejected. Longicornia were eaten, except the 

 Cantharid-like Ccroplcsis, which is probably synapose- 

 matic (compare p. 396). The CaraUdm were extremely 

 interesting. The acid secretion appears to be their 



