Production of Mimetic Bcscinhlanccs among Butterfiics. 339 



are specially liable to attack by birds on account of their 

 weak flight (cf, Palaearctic records, 4.//.; 10. d. and e. ; 

 28. e.). The point might be decided experimentally by 

 releasing a large number of butterflies whose wings had 

 been partly cut off, then turning loose uninjured specimens 

 of the same species and noting any difference in the 

 attitude of the birds towards them. I have suggested to 

 several of my friends in the tropics that they should 

 undertake such experiments, which might, moreover, 

 prove extremely valuable as a means of ascertaining the 

 likes and dislikes of wild birds under natural conditions. 



Finally, it may be interesting to note that the Indian 

 Bee-Eaters appear for the most part to cut off the wings of 

 butterflies which they capture befure eating them ; whereas 

 the African species, so far as I can ascertain, appear to 

 swallow them whole. It is not easy to understand the 

 reason of this discrepancy in habits in closely allied 

 species. 



With reference to the following records it must be noted 

 that where authors have given long lists of insects preyed 

 on by certain birds, for the sake of brevity only those 

 parts which refer to butterflies have been cited. This is 

 especially the case in the Nearctic records from Gentry's 

 " Life Histories of the Birds of E. Pennsylvania," and 

 also in the Palaearctic records from Naumann's " Vogel 

 Deutschlands." 



Records from the Palaearctic Region. 



1. Corvus moncdtda, Briss. (Jackdaw). Observed to catch 



a white butterfly : The Editor, " Country-Side," 1903, 

 p. 290. 



2. Sturnus vulgaris, L. (Starling), (a) " I have often seen 



them chasing butterflies" (England): R. Fortune, in 

 Watson's " Ornithology in Relation to Agriculture " 

 (1893), p. 139. — {h) A starling observed to catch a 

 white butterfly : The Editor, " Country-Side," 1903, 

 p. 290. 



3. Oriolus galhula, L. (Golden Oriole). " It then [in May] 



feeds principally on woodland insects, . . . catching 

 cockchafers, butterflies and also large thick-bodied 

 moths, etc.": Naumann, "Vogel Deutschlands," ii, 

 p. 179 (1822). 



