the Edibility of certain Lc2ndo2)terons Larvae. 477 



given another taken from the ivy. It seized it at once 

 and gave it two bites, dropped it and rubbed its nose on 

 the pebbles. The original two lizards were offered ivy-fed 

 caterpillars, but after inspection they Avould not touch 

 them. They appear to have learnt that they are not good 

 to eat. Another lizard seized an ivy-fed larva, but after 

 two bites dropped it and rubbed its nose. It subsequently 

 ate a " blue-bottle." Another lizard ate a young larva of 

 luhricipeda, though the hairs bothered it a good deal at 

 first, the lizard being apparently either pricked or tickled. 

 An older and more hairy larva was examined, but refused 

 on account of the hairs. Greenish larvae (probably Hadcna 

 oleracea) were eaten without hesitation. 



September 13. — During a short sunny interval one of 

 the large lizards came out and tasted an ivy-fed larva, 

 but dropped it after two bites and rubbed its nose. It 

 would not eat anything else after this. 



Soon after the last-named date I was called abroad for 

 a time, and was therefore unable to continue the experi- 

 ments. Nevertheless it appears to me that extremely 

 interesting conclusions may reasonably be drawn there- 

 from. It should be remembered that the mere bald 

 statement that a lizard did or did not eat a certain insect 

 scarcely supplies that conviction which the actual carrying 

 out of the experiments conveys. The behaviour of the 

 reptiles when dealing with their food gives a vivid 

 impression of the degree of relish with which each- 

 particular morsel is consumed, and I am quite convinced 

 by carefully watching the lizards that ivy-fed larvae of 

 Boarmia rhomhoidaria are extremely distasteful, and I am 

 equally persuaded that when fed for a time on apple those 

 distasteful qualities are removed. Ivy-fed larvae were 

 tasted and refused with disgust seventeen times, and 

 eaten five times. Even on the mere figures the evidence 

 of distastefulness is ample, but in the cases where the 

 larva was eaten, it was consumed with hesitation and 

 evident lack of relish, wliilst once it was eaten under stress 

 of competition, the influence of which is hinted at by the 

 example of the lizard which had tasted and refused the 

 larva making a second attempt to eat it when threatened 

 with interference by another of the reptiles. In strong 

 contrast to this behaviour is the fact that apple-fed larvae 

 were eaten in every case in which they were tasted, such 

 hesitation as was shown being due to association with the 



