PALATABILITY OF SOME BRITISH INSECTS. 825 



Two specimens given respectively to Brazilian Hangnest, and to 

 Saturnine Mocking Bird, were eaten much more readily than 

 were specimens of M. artemis offered to the same birds (see under 

 Melitcea artemis). 



One female taken by Harmonious Shrike-Thrush, but not eaten 

 readily. While this bird was pecking the butterfly and wiping it 

 on the gravel, he was robbed of it by a Red-vented Bulbul ; the 

 latter was in turn robbed of half of it by a North American 

 Mocking Bird. The two finished it between them. 



Small pearl-bordered Fritillary {Argynnis (Brenthis) selene). 



May 31, 1909. One taken and eaten by Capuchin, but without 

 relish. 



One taken and eaten by Capuchin (Cebus sp. c). with obvious 

 avidity. 



Greasy Fritillary [Melitcea aurinia or artemis). 



May 26 to 31, 1909. One male given to same specimen of 

 Cebus that took the Euchelia jacobcece five minutes previously. 

 He behaved in exactly the same way towards it. Stuffed it into 

 his mouth, but the moment he got the flavour or the feel, took it 

 out in his hands, pulled it to pieces, cautiously tasted it, and then 

 ate it, but with no great show of satisfaction. 



One taken and eaten by Capuchin (Cebus sp. b), but with great 

 hesitation and no particular signs of relish. This monkey also 

 ate one Ccenonympha pamphilus, one Argynnis selene, and one 

 Thanaos tages ; but treated them all in the same way, evidently 

 not caring much for any of them. In this particular he showed a 

 marked contrast to the two other examples of Cebus, sp. a and c, 

 used for these experiments. 



One male offered to Meerkat, taken and eaten at once. Eager 

 for more. 



One male ottered to Capuchin, taken and eaten at once. Eager 

 for more. 



One male ottered to White-handed Lemur, which after carefully 

 smelling it, refused it. 



Same one offered to Crowned Lemur and White-fronted Lemur, 

 was smelt and refused in the same way. 



Ottered to Black Lemur, was smelt, then carefully taken into 

 the mouth, but was then pulled out with the hand; then again 

 tasted, but rejected as if distasteful, the tongue being rapidly 

 protruded and drawn back through the front teeth as if to scrape 

 off something unpleasant, perhaps scales. 



One offered to Diana Monkey, was taken and eaten piecemeal, 

 apparently with relish. 



The mammals above mentioned had not been fed, and were 

 without exception hungry. 



[17] 



