The Bionomics of South African Insects. 405 



27. Human Experience of the Taste and Smell of 

 Insects affords untrustworthy Evidence of 



THE effect upon THE SENSES OF INSECTIVOROUS 



Animals. (E. B. P.) 



Tlie idea that Imman experience would supply a valuable 

 test as to the palatability or unpalatabiiity of insects to 

 their natural foes has occurred to more than one naturalist. 

 In Section 7 of his paper (Mem. de la Soc. Zool. de France, 

 tome viijlSO-i, p. 375, § 7), Professor Felix Plateau describes 

 what he calls the "real taste" (" saveur reelle ") of the 

 larva, pupa, and imago of Alraxas grossidariata : meaning 

 by the words "real taste" the impression produced upon 

 his own palate. After some natural hesitation he tasted 

 a fine lively specimen of the larva, first cutting it trans- 

 versely into two pieces. After masticating it sufficiently 

 long to be sure of the impression produced, he affirms that 

 it is almost without taste, very slightly sweetish, with 

 nothing whatever unpleasant about it : " ni nauseabonde, 

 ni poivree, ni acide, ni amere, sans arriere-gout, et j'ajouterai 

 meme agrcahlc, rappelant un peu celle des amandes douces 

 seches ou de la noix de coco." The skin is however some- 

 what tough, which Plateau suggests as a possible reason 

 for the rejection of the larva by certain vertebrate enemies. 

 The pupa wa§ very similar, but even more t'fsteless than 

 the larva ; while the abdomen of the moth produced 

 much the same effect when masticated : " la saveur m'a 

 jiaru faible, agrcahlc et analogue a celle de la chenille." 



Plateau considers his experience to be entirely convincing 

 and decisive as to the real taste of the insect to all in- 

 sectivorous animals. But it is perfectly obvious that the 

 only point which has been proved is that a single individual 

 of an animal not hahitualh/ insectivorous has found this in- 

 sect to he rather pleasant in taste although decidedly insvpid. 

 But this fact does not enable us to judge in any way of 

 the impressions produced upon the senses of a truly 

 insectivorous animal. That evidence must be judged upon 

 its own merits, and, as Plateau appears to consider that he 

 has shaken it, I give a somewhat detailed account of his 

 treatment of the subject, and e.sjDecially of his own valuable 

 and interesting experiments, some of which were conducted 

 upon insect-enemies hitherto unobserved and untried from 

 this point of view. In view of the far-reaching character of 

 Plateau's conclusion it becomes necessary to re-examine the 



